Ascension in Darkness
by LadyDae
Summary: Sequel 2 Descending in Love.It's been eighteen years since the rise of the empire and the Skywalkers have stayed in hiding.However, when Darth Pesinoe captures Princess Leia and holds her on the death star it forces them to the forefront of war once again
1. Chapter 1

Yay! It's the first chapter of Ascension in Darkness! I don'tvhave much to say about the chapter except that upon doing a little research I found out that Vader didn't get the Executor until a year after the Battle of Yavin. I was like, for real! I would have never know what with so many stories on this site having his get it as early as a few years after the creation of the empire. Anywho, for the sake of the story. That ship, but under a different name already exists, only it just recently came into Pesinoé's possession. Read, enjoy, and review.

Chapter One

A togruta female walked onto the rebel ship in frustration. Honestly, she thought. Would it kill the emperor to send competent people to work on these ships, especially ones that had classified imperial intelligence on them, particularly the plans to the death star? She knew the rebels would try something so bold, but Palpatine guaranteed her that the plans were well protected.

"Arrogant old fool. He should have let one of my guards do it. Never send male imperial officers in to do a female's job," she muttered as she stormed into the cockpit.

The two pilots turned around to shoot her until they saw her. All they could do was stare.

"I know," she said. "I tend to have that kind of effect on people."

She turned around and waved her hand dismissively to her personal lady warriors. She had complained angrily to her master one day that clone troopers were too incompetent to be her guards and fighters, that she needed skilled warriors, particularly women. The empire was too male dominated. So he let her hand pick a team of nine fighters, trained in modern arts of combat and ones so ancient she was sure if Yoda was alive, he had never heard of them. The stipulation was that they couldn't be force sensitive. She never knew how they got the name 'The Ladies in Waiting', someone on the holovision or something. It certainly wasn't something Pesinoé picked. However it happened though, the name stuck.

"Kill them," she said as she strode to the back of the ship with new purpose.

She intercepted two more of her ladies flanked by three storm troopers with a captive. She frowned even deeper.

"Darth Pesinoé," the girl said. "Only you could be so bold. The senate will not stand for this, when they hear you've interrupted a diplomatic mission-."

Pesinoé cut her off. "Cut the politician's act Princess Leia. We both know this is far from a mercy mission this time. Now make my day a little easier and tell me where you hid the plans for the death star?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Leia persisted. "This is a diplomatic mission to Alderaan."

"Princess, I'm in no mood for your stubborn act," Pesinoé said and Leia almost felt soothed by the voice that seemed to be naturally sultry and suggestive. "You're part of the rebel alliance and a traitor."

"You're one to talk about traitors," Leia shot back.

Pesinoé hissed at her. "Don't speak about things you know nothing about Senator. Surely your traitor of a father taught you that. Take her to my ship," she told the two Ladies in Waiting.

Leia scowled as they took her. Everyone knew that Darth Pesinoé was a former jedi, and that she had become a sith when she was only a teenager on the cusp of adulthood. She had only seen her from far off or with her hood up and through old holos of the sith lady when she was teenager. But, though she was pretty when she was younger, she had always wondered why people said her beauty rivaled that of a Twi'lek's.

Today she saw why. She had gotten taller since then, but Leia was sure her full grown montrals added to whatever height she had gained so maybe it was just the appearance. All three of her lekku reached a little past her slender naked waist and touched her hips. Her face markings almost looked like they were specifically drawn in their place to enhance her already beautiful face, not to mention she didn't look as lanky as she had when she was younger. She had filled out.

Leia now understood why the galaxy called Pesinoé the sexiest _and_ most dangerous woman in the galaxy. Everything about her screamed it, right down to her eyes. If only she had a personality to match. She was known to put on the façade of a somewhat cruel kindness, but she used her beauty to manipulate people into getting what she wanted. Leia made no mistake though. The woman was anything but a whore. It was the way she talked, what she said and how she said it. Her beauty just helped matters. She'd make a good politician.

As her Ladies in Waiting took the princess away, Pesinoé allowed herself to lose some of her well practiced control. Pesinoé was also known for not losing control, in addition to her beauty. It was why she had done so well in helping the emperor get control of the star systems. The emperor had admitted to her that he first sought for her former master to be his apprentice, but he didn't have as much control as she had gained. Pesinoé had forced herself to learn it though. When she looked back, losing control was what has cost her Anakin and made him reject her.

She shook her head of those thoughts as she regained her composure. Just because she was always in control didn't mean she didn't used her anger, hate, and other emotions to fuel her power any less than most sith. She was just as cruel and emotionally driven, just a little more subtle.

However, it had taken all her control not to strike the Alderaanian Princess down where she stood, consequences and losing a valuable informant be damned! The girl reminded her so much of Senator Amidala it was uncanny. The girl was practically the spitting image of the former senator. It brought back the emotions of the weak girl she had once been.

"Milady," one her ladies said. "Are you alright?"

"I am fine," she told the young robed woman. "We must not delay. The emperor will want us to find out the location of the rebel base as soon as possible."

"We checked the escape pod that the princess had launched. There were no signs of life in it."

Pesinoé huffed. What did the princess think? That she was dumb?

"I wouldn't put it past the princess to have hidden the plans in it. When the princess has been secured the three of you will go down to the surface of the nearest planet and search for the pod. When you are done, report back to me. I'll be on the death star," she said whisking away.

"Yes milady," the three woman said and followed her to her brand new star destroyer (a gift from the Emperor), the _Enchantress_, to get a smaller vessel to take to the surface of the planet they believed the princess had sent the droids.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So?" an eighteen year old asked the repair man.

"So what?" the older man with long wavy blonde curls in a ponytail it his mid-back and beard asked.

"Can you fix it?"

"Don't insult me Luke," he said. "Of course I can fix it. The question is can I get my hands on the part."

Luke muttered a curse in huttese. "Oh man. I hate this old speeder and Uncle Owen won't let me race the newer one."

"I don't blame him," the man said in a dry tone. "A speeder is a hard and expensive thing to come by on Tatooine."

"I can't stand this backwater planet," Luke growled.

"You and me both."

"Then why are you here Alex. Why don't you go live on Alderaan with your wife? I'm sure she'd be thrilled," said Luke.

A woman came from the back with long blonde curls. She smiled at Luke.

"Circumstances dear," she said. "You wouldn't understand, so there's nothing to talk about."

"I didn't know you were in town Mrs. Starkiller," Luke said surprised.

The couple met eyes as the woman scowled, and the man smirked. They both hated that last name with a passion, not that there was anything wrong with it. It just reminded them that they had to hide who they were, Padmé and Anakin Skywalker. They both tried not to dwell on it though. They had both decided it was necessary to protect their children from Darth Pesinoé. No doubt she'd kill them or worse if she ever knew they were alive.

"Oh yes. The princess had some duties to attend to off planet, so I took the opportunity to come see my husband," she said smiling at Anakin.

Luke would never understand why Alex couldn't just move to Alderaan. He was sure Padmé made enough money working in the palace to support both of them and a good mechanic was a hard thing to come by, one like Alex anyway. He bet he could get a job fixing ships in the palace.

"So will you be able to get the part. How much will it cost?" Luke asked.

"Don't worry about cost," Anakin replied.

"You always say that. What have I done that you won't ever charge me for repairs when I come in here?" Luke asked the man.

Anakin honestly replied, "I've known you since you were a little baby. You're practically family."

Luke sighed. "Fine, pass up my good money if you want. You don't seem to need it anyway."

Anakin grinned, and Luke laughed.

"Okay. I'll be back for it in a week. Oh yeah," Luke said handing him a wrapped up plate. "Aunt Beru sent your favorite."

"Tell her thanks," Anakin said taking the bantha steak.

When he left Padmé's smile dropped from her face as she came to stand next to him.

"He's grown up so much and to think he did it without is… directly anyway," she said.

Anakin sighed as he put his tool down and sat on the counter. "How's Leia?"

"Wanting to see her favorite and only 'uncle'," Padmé teased. "She was so upset when I said I'd be going to see you. She wants me to bring you to the palace again."

"Did I really impress her that much? I only went once," Anakin replied. It was too dangerous for him to venture off the dessert planet. Even with a beard, his face was too recognizable.

"Even if she doesn't know consciously, subconsciously she knows exactly who you are," Padmé said. "She'll figure it out."

"So, what suicide mission did the rebellion send her on this time?" Anakin grumbled.

"Plans, for the death star."

Anakin rolled his eyes. "They really think it's going to be such a devastating blow to the emperor. Knowing him, he's got a second one waiting somewhere."

"It is devastating when you have the right people in place, even if the empire doesn't know it," Padmé replied smiling.

"All thanks to you," Anakin said.

Padmé didn't say anything, but Anakin was right. While the rebellion was a good thing, they had initially been going about fighting the wrong way. Sure they could plan to destroy the death star and kill the emperor and his second in command, but then what? It would actually be senseless to try to build a new republic. Who would get all those star systems under control if that were the case and take out all the governors? If they didn't do some careful planning, they would be looking at a new republic that would crumble before it even got started because someone else would rebel and take over. They'd be stuck in an endless cycle of rebellion, war and regime change for who knew how long. People, thousands of people had to be put in place so that as soon as the emperor was defeated, governors, and loyal imperialist could be arrested and tried immediately. Otherwise, the New Republic would be no better than the Empire they were in now.

She had voiced this concern to Bail one day and to his credit he talked to Mon Mothma about it right away.

"Are you done working today?" Padmé asked.

Anakin nodded and turned the closed sign around. "Where to milady?" he asked.

"Is there anywhere on this planet that isn't hot?" Padmé asked dryly as he took her arm in his and led her out.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Pesinoé walked down the ramp of one of her smaller ships onto the death star, a real monstrosity in her opinion and not really because of its power or size did she think that of it either. It was because it made imperial officers arrogant, foolish, and high on power. Governor Tarkin was proof of that. It only served to make her hate him more than she already did. He was a sexist and believed woman were only good for one thing… well two really. If it weren't for the emperor she would have killed the man the first time that comment came out his mouth…

"Darth Pesinoé," Tarkin said to her. "Always a pleasure."

The sith lady rolled her eyes. "I'm sure," she droned. "I'm sorry I can't say the feeling's mutual."

Pesinoé gestured to her Ladies in Waiting. "We have a prisoner on board. My ladies will escort her to a detention cell. We believe she may have some information about the rebel base and the whereabouts for the plans of the death star."

"We'll schedule her for immediate interrogation," Tarkin said to her. "And of the plans for the death star? Do you perhaps have an idea where they were taken?"

Pesinoé smiled and circled around the man. "You seem very concerned about those plans. Scared?"

"Of course not. This battle station is indestructible," Tarkin assured.

Pesinoé frowned and stopped in front of him. "Then why," she asked softly, "were me and my women called out here for an emergency situation. Why were the plans so top secret? This blasted thing must have some kind of weakness you don't want the rebels to discover… Hm?"

"Of course not milady," Tarkin said trying to keep his nerves at bay. "We just don't want to waste our precious battle station on what would be a pointless attempt by the rebels. It would be a waste of time and effort."

Pesinoé stared at him and then smiled again. She walked past the governor brushing his shoulders slightly.

"So you say," she replied as she walked off. "My ladies will interrogate the princess. I won't have your men, who probably haven't seen a woman in months, trying to have their way with her in the process. We want to make her suffer enough to persuade her into giving us information, not make the girl give up and let the interrogation droid kill her."

"Yes milady," Tarkin said through gritted teeth. He hated when Pesinoé made her visits on board. The woman took control of everything and dare he contradict her… Everyone knew what happened the last time someone had done that.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

So how do you like? I find the way Pesinoé and Tarkin interact in this story to be highly entertaining. It made for a few of the major changes that happened in the story. Oh and I always did think that rebellion wasn't as focused as it should have been and could have been if Padme were involved. They defeated the emperor and their new republic lasted all of twenty years? Really. Hope you enjoyed. Review Please.


	2. Chapter 2

Okay. It's the second chapter and I've got a few comments as always.

I'm glad you liked the first chapter. I got a lot of people saying it was funny and I agree it is. I've been wrestling with this story to give it more edge than the first one but it wouldn't come out that way. I think that happens in part because in the original trilogy, An New Hope had quite a bit of humor in it. The other reason I think that happened is because Pesinoé has a sort of cruel dry humor about herself. The reason that is because she has that kind of humor in the series, well Ahsoka does. Also, remember that Pesinoé is bordering being somewhat of a feminist, and she thinks has a bit of a thing against men being that she's had to fight for her place in the empire against them. So when it seems like the imperials are kind of stupid or cowardly, it's because that's her point of view.

Also, I found myself kind of not liking Luke a lot in the original trilogy. He seemed too passive and in the beginning he seemed a little too timid. Although I have to say there's only so much you can do in a two hour movie. I would think being the child of Anakin and Padmé he's got some backbone about him and therefore I've made him a little feistier and a little more in tune with the force. I mean, with him knowing about his dad and that he might have inherited his powers, he would have to be.

So no Pesnioe in this one. She comes back in the next chapter. Read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chapter Two

_Help me Obi-Wan. You're my only hope._

Those words rang in Luke's brain as he went to dinner with his aunt, uncle and, to his surprise, the Starkillers. It was a rare thing for the two to come to dinner. His aunt insisted on it often. Alex was an old friend of his aunt and uncle's of course. They knew him before even Luke was born. But for some reason, it was a rare occasion for him to come, and it was only usually when his wife was in town. Luke thought it was strange, but never questioned it. All he really knew about the couple was that they had married young, right when the clone wars began and in an attempt on the Queen of Alderaan's life, Alex's wife, Pemé, lost their first child and the ability to get pregnant at all in trying to protect the queen at the end of the clone wars.

"I didn't know you two were coming," he said. "I would have cleaned up better."

"That's alright dear," Pemé said softly. "You've been working all day. We understand that."

"Hey Uncle Owen," Luke began, "I think that R2 unit you bought might have been stolen."

"What makes you say that?" Owen asked.

"I came across a recording while cleaning him. It said he belongs to someone named Obi-Wan Kenobi. I thought he might have meant Old Ben," Luke added.

Luke felt everyone around the table come to a sudden sense of alertness when he said that. He had always been good at feeling emotions and getting a feel of atmospheres. Something was up.

"That man's just a crazy old-Ow!- wizard," Owen finished and glared at Alex across the table.

Alex smiled. "You okay Owen?"

Owen glared. "Just a cramp in my leg."

"You might want to get that checked out," Alex added.

"Anyway, tomorrow, I want you to take those droids up to Alex's place so you can have its memory wiped, and that'll be the end of it," Owen said leaving no room to argue. Luke didn't see it that way.

"But what if this Obi-Wan guy comes looking for him?"

"He won't. I doubt he's even alive, probably died around the same time as your father."

Luke knew he was lying. He could sense it. Any other time he would have pressed, but his uncle's last word caught his attention.

"He knew my father?" he asked. All he knew about the man was that he was Anakin Skywalker, one of the most known jedi in the galaxy, and had left Luke his light saber. He had to press his uncle and argue for a straight week just to get that out of him.

"I told you to forget it. Your only concern is getting those droids prepared for tomorrow. I want to see them working on those condensers," Owen tomorrow.

Luke sighed. "Yes sir," and then seeing a new opportunity added, "I think these new droids are going to work out. In fact, if these droids work out, I wanted to send in my application for the Imperial academy this year."

"You mean next semester before the harvest," Owen scowled. Across from him Alex rolled his eyes.

"Yes. There's more than enough droids," Luke argued.

"Harvest is when I need you the most. You know that. This year we'll be able to make enough so I can hire some new hands and you can go to the academy next year," Owen replied.

"You've always got some damn excuse for why I can't go. We've been going through this for the past three years. What are you going to come up with next year?" Luke asked angrily.

"You will not use that language in from of our guests or at this table at all. Now that's the end of this conversation," Owen said raising his voice a little.

Luke groaned and stood up from the table.

"Where are you going?" Beru asked.

"To finish cleaning those droids. What else do I have to do?" Luke asked leaving.

When Anakin was sure Luke was gone and out of earshot he looked at Owen.

"Luke's not going to stay here forever you know? All his other friends have already gone." he said to his step brother.

"You'd rather him go to the Imperial academy?" Owen asked pointedly. "Besides, as soon as they hear the name Skywalker, he's as good as dead."

"Still," Beru said in defense of Anakin. "Luke's just not a farm boy. He's got too much of his father in him," she added looking at Anakin.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Owen muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Anakin asked leaning back in his chair.

"You know exactly what it means. You both should have stayed here and never got tangled up in that war. Now look at you. Can't even take care of your own kids because you're a danger to them," Owen shot.

"Now wait just a minute," Anakin started standing up almost losing control over the temporary hold he had put on his force ability and his temper to boot.

"Ani," Padmé said putting her hand on his arm. "Even though it was rude, Owen is right. We are a danger to them. That's why we trusted Owen and Beru to take care of Luke. It's their judgment to decide how he's raised right now. They're only trying to keep him away from the empire."

Anakin glared at Owen but backed down anyway.

"Let's go Ani," Padmé said and then nodded to Owen and Beru. "Thanks for having us. We really appreciate seeing Luke every now and then."

"Make sure Luke brings me those droids first thing in the morning so I can find out who wants Obi-Wan," Anakin said and left without a greeting with Padmé

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Luke cursed a string of obscenities in huttese as he looked for the missing Artoo droid the next day. It was a habit he had picked up from being around Alex, who had the tendency to do so whenever he was dealing with one of the many slime balls of Tatooine, particularly Jabba's people.

Now not only was the droid still missing, the speeder had broken down. So much for being "new". When he finally got it fixed, he saw the Artoo droid in the distance.

Luke ran to catch up with it, and Threepio followed.

"Hey," Luke said getting in the droid's way. "Where do you think you're going?"

The droid let out a series of beeps and whistles and started to turn around to go around Luke, but Threepio stopped him.

"Master Luke is your rightful owner. There will be no more jibberish about this Obi-Wan person," Threepio said and the Artoo let out a series of beeps and whistles in protest.

"And don't talk to me about your mission either."

Luke laughed. These were the most animated and lifelike droids he'd ever met.

"It's getting late," he finally said. "Maybe we can get back before Uncle Owen really blows up.

Luke ignored Threepio's suggestion of shutting down the Artoo unit. Suddenly the Artoo unit became frantic and Luke looked at Threepio.

"What's he saying?"

"Oh my… Sir, he says there are several creatures approaching from the southeast."

"Oh no," Luke said running to the speeder to get a blaster and his binoculars. "Sand people."

Luke went to go look over the canyon and groaned. It was sand people alright, one of them anyway. He didn't understand though. On sand person couldn't take down a bantha on its own… Luke jumped as he turned around just in time to miss being hit over the head by one of the sand people. He shot his blaster and it jumped away before another one came to finish the job. They began to ransack the speeder, dropping Luke next to it before a howling noise scared them away.

An old man came and leaned over Luke. He sighed. So much like his father, the boy was, always into some kind of trouble, dangerous or not.

Obi-Wan looked up and saw Artoo hiding in the rocks.

"It's been a long time now hasn't it Artoo?" he asked.

Artoo whistled.

Obi-Wan frowned. "Surely you remember me?"

Artoo whistled and then began to beep excitedly as he rolled over to Obi-Wan. He beeped again. Obi-Wan nodded.

"I agree, but don't worry. He'll be fine," Obi-Wan said as the boy woke up and slowly sat up.

"What happened?"

"Rest easy there. You're fortunate to be alive."

Luke looked up at him in recognition. "Ben Kenobi? Boy am I glad to see you."

"The Jundland Wastelands are not to be traveled lightly. What brings you out this far?"

Luke looked around for Artoo and sighed, "This little droid. He's searching for his master. I've never seen such devotion in a droid before. Claims to belong to Obi-Wan Kenobi. Do you know him?"

"Obi-Wan Kenobi," Obi-Wan said sitting down. "Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time."

"So you know him?" Luke asked in excitement.

"Of course I know him. He's me," Obi-Wan said.

"Then this droid belongs to you?" Luke asked.

Obi-Wan eyed the Artoo droid. It began to whistle and beep.

"Not exactly, but I definitely know him," Obi-Wan looked around. "Come on. We better get inside."

Luke stood to follow him before hearing moaning. "Threepio," he said running to the droid to make sure he was alright.

He found him taken apart by the sand people moaning. Luke rolled his eyes. The most dramatic droid in the galaxy… really.

When they got inside Obi-Wan's small home, Luke started to put Threepio's arm back on. Obi-Wan smiled. He had certainly inherited his father's knack for fixing things.

"So you knew my father then?"

Obi-Wan laughed. "Knew him? We fought side by side in the clone wars. In fact I trained him."

"You're a jedi too?" Luke asked. "Wow. I thought they were all killed in the purges."

"A few managed to get away. Your father was the best star pilot in the galaxy. I understand you've become a good pilot yourself. Your father was a dear friend of mine. Speaking of that, did Owen ever give you your father's light saber?"

"Yeah. A few years ago I pestered him about my dad and he blew up before giving it to me," Luke said. "Was my dad really the Anakin Skywalker?"

"One and only," Obi-Wan replied. "Before the empire, the jedi were guardians of peace and security."

"Wow!" Luke said unable to stop listening and then frowned. "If you don't mind me asking, how did my father die?"

Obi-Wan sighed. He knew this one was coming.

"A little before you were born his pupil turned on him and you mother."

"His own pupil. What happened to him?"

"_She _became Darth Pesinoé. I'm sure you at least heard of her. There's hardly a soul who hasn't, even on this back water planet."

Luke knew who she was alright. Every boy on Tatooine did. She was the most beautiful woman they'd ever seen. Although now that he knew she killed his father, she didn't seem so beautiful anymore.

"Anyway, she was seduced by the dark side of the force," Obi-Wan added.

"What's the force?"

"It's a living energy that binds us all together. People like your father and I, force sensitive can use it to do extraordinary things. You have it too," Obi-Wan explained. "That's why you're so good at flying and sensing things."

"Now," he said turning to the droid. "Let's see what this message is about."

"I saw part of the message, but I think Artoo erased it some-."

"I seem to have found it," Obi-Wan said.

_General Kenobi, years ago you helped my father during the Clone Wars. Now, he begs that you help him in his struggle against the Empire. He regrets that he cannot deliver this message to you himself. My ship has fallen under attack and my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. This droid contains vital information against the Empire and must be delivered to my father on Alderaan. Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi; you're my only hope..._

Obi-Wan paled. "Leia…" he muttered. He wondered if Padmé knew about this.

"Is that her name?" Luke asked.

"Yes. She's the princess of Alderaan. You must come with me Luke. We have to find-."

Luke laughed. "I'm not going with you. I've got to get back home. Uncle Owen is probably having a fit. "

"Luke,"

"Look. It's not that I don't hate the empire but I've got work to do. I can't get involved," he added.

"That's your uncle talking," Obi-Wan said knowingly and Luke realized her was right. He winced. He should be ready to go with Obi-Wan right now. But if he did that, his aunt and uncle would be heartbroken. Despite hating this planet and the fact that he and his uncle didn't agree all the time, he knew they loved him. He couldn't do that to them.

"I can take you as far as Anchorhead," Luke replied. "That's it."

"You must do what you feel is right Luke," Obi-Wan said.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anakin and Padmé got out the speeder and entered the Lars homestead. Luke was supposed to come early that morning to bring the droids to him. When he didn't show up, Anakin had gotten worried. Padmé laughed at her husband's uneasiness at first. It had probably been nothing, but Anakin could shake the feeling. He also couldn't shake the way the force was whispering to him. It hadn't spoken to him so urgently like this since Ahsoka had turned…

"What are you doing here?" Beru asked and looked behind them. "Where's Luke? Did something happen?"

"He's not here?" Anakin asked not waiting for Beru to let him in as he walked past her. "Luke!" he shouted.

"He's not here Anakin. He went out early this morning to bring you the droids," Beru said. "He never came?"

"No," Anakin said searching the rooms.

Padmé frowned. "Ani. Something's not right. Luke isn't this irresponsible."

"I know," Anakin said coming back to where Beru and Padmé were. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Owen came in just then. "What are you shouting about? And where's Luke?"

"We don't know. That's why-." Anakin stopped and then ran to the back door to look outside. He paled. "Oh no."

"What is it?" Padmé asked.

"Three imperial scouts… The Ladies in Waiting to be exact," Anakin said closing the door. "We have to get out of here."

"What would they be doing all the way out here? You don't think Pesinoé is with them?" Padmé asked in fear for Luke. She had a feeling Pesinoé had never truly let go of her hate for her. If she hadn't, she'd kill Luke just because he came from the woman she hated.

"She's not here. I know her presence anywhere, even after nearly twenty years," Anakin said and summoned his old light saber to him. He had since made a new one. It just didn't feel right not to have one, but he knew his old one was in the house somewhere. It would be nice to have it in his hands again. "We'll go out the front since their coming through the back."

When they got outside, Anakin gave Owen the keys to his speeder and then said to him, "Take the speeder and get yourself and Beru to my shop. Padmé's ship is there. Take it to somewhere safe," Anakin said.

"Somewhere safe?" Owen asked. "Where? And I don't know how to fly that thing."

Anakin cursed and turned to Padmé. "I know you don't want to do this, but Owen is right. All they know is this farm. You're going to have to go with them."

Padmé nodded and took the keys from Owen. "Where are you going?"

"To hold off the Ladies in Waitng. Then I'm going to find Obi-Wan. No doubt Artoo got away, and Luke went after him. I bet they went to find him," Anakin replied.

"Wait. How will you get back to us?"

"We'll meet you on the rebel base. You do know where it is don't you?" Anakin asked and Padmé nodded.

"Good. Now go."

Padmé turned on the speeder and sped off towards the city with Beru and Owen. Anakin went back into the homestead and found the Ladies in Waiting just coming in. They looked at him. The lead one, the togrutan with orange skin, spoke to him in a monotonous voice, similar to the monotonous one Padmé used when she had been queen of Naboo.

"There were more people in this house. Where did they go?" she asked.

"That's none of your business," Anakin replied.

"We're imperial warriors. Everything on this planet is our business if we want it to be," she said firmly. "Now tell us."

"Make me," Anakin shot.

"So be it," she said and took out a small viroblade. She flung it toward him at high speed with a flick of her wrist.

Anakin ignited his lightsaber and blocked it while trying to get a hit on one of the ladies. They jumped and landed in three different corners of the room.

"Jedi," the human snarled and came at him with the other two.

All the formations and blade techniques came back to Anakin as though he had used his blade last the day before and not almost twenty years ago. The girls were skilled. They had no weapons and they were fighting him toe to toe. If it were just one, Anakin was sure he would have been done with this, despite all that skill. But with three… Pesinoé had trained her ladies well.

Finally he managed to get one of the girls in the leg. She groaned a little in pain, but seemed more shocked than anything.

"Stop," the togrutan said to the Twi'lek as she looked at the human woman. "He's way out our league if he can get a hit on us. Retreat. We must report this to Lady Pesinoé immediately."

"But he's just another jedi. We've taken those down one on one before. There's three of us," the Twi'lek said.

The togrutan shook her head, and her montrals twitched. "Something's different about this one. I can tell. Retreat."

And with that, the girl made their fast leave, leaping over Anakin and out the door, even the injured one.

Anakin didn't bother going after them. He wasn't looking for a fight if they weren't. Good. Now he could go find Obi-Wan and Luke.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** The Ladies in Waiting were something I came up with on a whim. It wanted Pesinoe to have something similar to Vader's fist but it couldn't be storm troopers although she does have an elite group of storm troopers. They just don't show up in the story. As for the name "Ladies in Waiting", it came to be because I couldn't come up with anything else. Anywho. I'll be updating every other day so I can write the rest of it's sequel. Hope you enjoyed. Review please.


	3. Chapter 3

Well, here's chapter three and it's one of my favorites. You may think it odd, but this all part of my plan for this story. Our favorite sith lady is in this one and… Well, just read it. But before you do that, a reader bought to my attention that Tarkin promoted his mistress to a respectable position in the Empire. I haven't researched it yet, but if it is true that won't change the story much. Pesinoé and Tarkin have a bit of a history, and they happened to clash wrong. Again, a lot of it is from Pesinoé's view and that's what she thinks because of their clash.

Anyway. I hope you enjoy this. Read, enjoy, and review.

Chapter Three

Pesinoé breathed in deeply as she sat in her room trying to meditate. She hated these feelings that the princess was resurfacing from so long ago that she had forgotten she ever had them. It nagged her so much that she had let her ladies in waiting take the pleasure of torturing the girl. Normally, she would have done it herself.

"Lady Pesinoé," one of her ladies said coming in her room. She bowed slightly. Another perk to having her ladies do the interrogation besides preventing the other officers from having their way with her was that her ladies reported directly to her. She couldn't trust Tarkin to tell her. He wouldn't only decide to take matters into his own hands.

"Report," Pesinoé said with her eyes still closed.

"Princess Leia's resistance to the torture droid and the drugs is considerable. She won't tell a thing," the human girl said.

"I figured. I doubt she'd willingly betray the rebels," Pesinoé said. It seemed like something that senator would have done…

"What would you have us do next milady?"

Pesinoé started to reply when another one of her ladies came in.

"Milady," she said bowing and then coming to stand next to her comrade.

"Did you get the results?" Pesinoé asked.

The woman handed her a datapad and bowed before taking her leave. Pesinoé didn't look at it immediately. She didn't know why she had demanded the test anyway. She had convinced herself it was just to ease her mind. The princess looked so much like Skywalker's wife it was uncanny, not to mention the girl had her old light saber. Pesinoé eyed the light saber that was on her bedside table. She just couldn't dismiss it. The princess and that weapon had haunted the sith lady since she had gotten on board. All she needed was to see the results, to see that the princess was not related to them, and she could go back to trying to crush the rebel alliance.

"Milady," the remaining lady said as Pesinoé opened the data pad.

Her head tails began to turn a mirage of colors. This was impossible. She was sure she had sensed a boy. Unless…

"You will hold off telling Tarkin the results of your interrogation until I have had a word with the princess. She may be more valuable than I thought," Pesinoé said and headed to the detention cell. She gestured for two of her ladies to follow her.

When she got to the princesses cell she found someone was already in it, two officers to be exact, and they were standing over the princess, taunting her. She had her head held up high and was trying to show no fear, but the princess was sending off terror in waves. Sure she knew some combat. All princesses did. Pesinoé was sure of that. But not even she could take on three grown men.

Pesinoé stopped before they noticed her to listen.

"Come on princess. No one will know," one of them jeered.

"If you have no business here, I'd suggest you leave me alone," Leia snapped.

"Don't be so mean. We only came here to keep you company. Come on," one of the men reached out to grab her.

"Don't touch me," Leia said jerking back as far as she could away from them.

"You-."

Pesinoé watched as one of the men throw himself at the princess. Her ladies were just waiting for her to say the word so they could help, but Pesinoé wanted to see what the princess would do.

"Let me go," Leia yelled and all Pesinoé knew was that suddenly the man dropped down holding on to his male parts. Pesinoé was impressed.

"You whore," the ones standing said and twisted Leia around pressing her on the wall with her arms above her beginning to lift up her dress.

"I think that's enough playing with the princess," Pesinoé said making her presence know. "Apparently, your mother's didn't teach you the meaning of no."

The officers paled and stared at her. Pesinoé smiled.

"Don't you boys have anything better to do? I'd like to talk to the princess," she said.

The officer helped up their fallen friend and rushed out the room. Pesinoé scowled. She'd deal with them later.

"Men," she said in disgust, the nodded to her ladies. "Stand guard. Make sure I'm not interrupted."

Leia stared at the woman with a glare and prepared her mind for whatever suggestive mental tricks the sith lady would play. Her father had warned her about the woman. She could make people do anything she wanted out of desire for her, women included.

"Darth Pesinoé," Leia said in a respectful tone.

"Princess Leia," Pesinoé said beginning to pace the room. "I must say I'm impressed by your ability to resist the torture in interrogation."

"I'm not telling you where the rebel base is," Leia said firmly sitting down.

"You sure about that?" Pesinoé asked and began her force manipulation. "You know you want to tell me. You know you want to be off this ship and back to your precious home world."

"I'd rather die," Leia shot.

"I'm not in a generous mood today," the sith lady sighed. "Listen dear. All it takes is a word. Just name the star system and make my day."

"I'm not feeling in much of a generous mood myself today," Leia replied. "You're wasting your time."

"You're right," Pesinoé said. "We could be doing a lot more productive and desirable things. All you have to do is tell me the system of the rebel base."

Pesinoé didn't know what it was about saying that phrase with the force manipulation behind it that made men and women go wild. Then again, the point was to appeal to the lower desires and make the tension so unbearable they'd do anything for release. However, the meaning of desirable and productive for Pesinoé was something very different. Making her job easier was productive and killing her prisoners quenched her thirst for revenge.

Leia found herself feeling light headed, like she was on a drug. She stared at Pesinoé. Her offer sounded appealing… Leia shook her head. What was she thinking? She knew exactly what Pesinoé was doing.

"Like I said," the princess deadpanned turning to lie down. "You're wasting your time."

Pesinoé was startled. There was no doubt about it. Leia was her father's child. He had been the only person to resist her force seductions until now. This only increased her anger. It made her want to strike the girl down right then and there, but she kept her temper in check. She had a better idea.

"I'm impressed princess. I've brought strong men down to their knees in desire with that little trick and yet a little girl like you didn't fall for it," she said.

"That doesn't mean much coming from you," Leia replied hotly.

Pesinoé ignored her. "I shouldn't be surprised though, in light of who your father is."

Leia raised her chin in pride. "My father told me all about whatever powers you have and how you use them to get what you want. I won't fall for it."

"I'm not talking about Bail Organa dear. I'm talking about your real father. Bail did tell you that you were adopted, right?" Pesinoé asked.

"Of course," Leia said, not being able to help being curious. She didn't know much about her real father.

"He was a jedi you know," Pesinoé replied sensing her curiosity.

Leia shook her head. Her handmaiden Pemé had given her a light saber that she said her father thought she might like before he left. She heard he and her mother were fugitives, and her father picked up the saber on one of his travels. He left her the light saber because it was all he had at the time to leave her, not because he was a jedi. It was one of her most prized possessions… and Pesinoé had taken it the moment she laid eyes on it. Leia didn't know why the woman seemed to feel shocked. Leia was no jedi. Leia wished she had it with her though. She had no clue how to use it, but it would make her feel safer.

"He wasn't a jedi. He was a common fugitive." Leia finally told, more for herself than Pesinoé. The sith lady had said it with obvious evil intent, but the words rang true.

"My mother was a handmaiden for the Queen," Leia continued. "My parents had no choice but to leave me there for my own safety. They died in a ship accident."

Pesinoé snickered. "They gave you a good story that's for sure. Did they ever tell you why your dad was a fugitive?"

"Why do you care?" Leia snapped in anger much to Pesinoé's delight. "Just leave me alone."

"You're curious, but you don't want to learn the truth from your enemy do you? You know, I don't have to be your enemy."

Leia scowled. "If you're talking about making me a lady in waiting you're wasting your precious breath."

"No princess," Pesinoé said as a plan came about in her head. "You're better than that. Far better. You're like me. You have the potential to be great once you see through the lies that you've been raised under, to control you."

"The only one controlling me is me," Leia replied. "That much I know."

"That may be true," Pesinoé admitted. "But the child of Anakin Skywalker is meant to be something much greater than the senator of one planetary system."

Leia almost fell off the small metal bench in shock. "Anakin Skywalker…?"

"So you've heard of him?" Pesinoé asked in an innocent tone leaning against the wall.

Leia glared at the sith lady. Who hadn't heard of Anakin Skywalker? He was one of the most famous jedi in the republic. He disappeared right after the rise of the empire, he and his secret wife. The official story was that they had died in a ship accident…

"So are the pieces coming together now?" Pesinoé asked when she saw Leia's eyes widen. "Your father was a jedi, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, and when the jedi were killed off, his wife was pregnant and gave birth to you before she died… along with your brother."

"My brother," Leia replied slowly. "I don't have a brother."

"But you do. I knew your mother and I sensed her son, but not you. Your brother's force presence was shielding yours, and so until today I dismissed the fact that you looked just like your mother and a senator just like her to boot," Pesinoé explained.

It was then that Leia realized that if Anakin Skywalker was her father, Padmé Amidala was her…

"Lies!" Leia shouted in anger. "All of it. I know all about your sick games."

Pesinoé tossed her head back in cruel laughter. "I wish I had come up with it to tell you the truth. But not even I could come up with something as elaborate as this. I wouldn't waste my time. You know it to be true if you've inherited your father's force ability, which you have by the way," the togrutan woman said looking at Leia with piercing yellow eyes and then added, "Oh yeah. While we're on the topic, your father didn't die in a space accident and neither did your mother."

"You killed them," Leia shot glaring at the woman opposite her.

Pesinoé smiled. She didn't have to refute it. If that's what the princess wanted to believe so be it. It just gave her more ammunition. What better way to get revenge on Skywalker than to turn his own daughter against everything he stood for?

"Your anger is a powerful weapon. I can teach you how to use it."

"I'm not angry," Leia tried to say in a calm tone but it came out anything but calm.

"And you accused me of playing games," Pesinoé said in a sultry tone but with no intent of putting seduction behind hit. "You're angry, and you know it. I can sense it. But don't be angry at me. Be angry at the emperor. He ordered their deaths. I just did as I was told." Or gladly tried that is, Pesinoe thought.

She looked at the princess. Leia was right where she wanted her to be. In all honesty, she had no interest in ruling the galaxy or in training Leia, but it would be fun to divide and conquer the Skywalker family.

"Just think Leia. Let me show you your true potential as a sith lady. We'll take over the empire. We can even find your brother," Pesinoé said putting the full weight of force seduction behind her words. There was more than one way to seduce a person.

Leia looked at her and took deep breaths. This was all too much to take in and the last thing she wanted to do right now was fight with Pesinoé. If she said yes, maybe she'd leave her alone…

_A woman held her up._

"_Don't ever forget me little princess," a man with wavy blonde hair said smiling. "Daddy loves you. Remember that."_

It was the only memory she had of her mother and father, and she was surprised she had that since she had only been a few days old when it happened. Leia glared at Pesinoé.

"Like I said," she snapped. "A waste of time."

Pesinoé snarled, and suddenly Leia was slammed into the wall. Then she slid down onto the bench in pain. She screamed and held herself, tears began pouring down Leia's face. She felt something invading her mind and though she was in pain fought with all her might to block it out. The presence retreated and the pain stopped. She slumped on the floor, and Pesinoé frowned at her.

"Be glad Tarkin wants you alive. And pray to the force that those guards don't come back. I don't think I'll be as willing save your honor again," Pesinoé said turning on her heel and using the force to open the door.

When Pesinoé left, closing the door behind her, Leia clung to her only memory of her parents.

_Daddy loves you. Remember that._

"Daddy," she muttered feeling like she was seven years old again as she closed her eyes in sleep. "Help me."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

So what did you think? Take this as a beginning to the interesting relationship Leia and Pesinoé will share throughout the stories. And the last two lines play a bigger role in the series too. I'm excited about this. I hope you liked it. Review please.


	4. Chapter 4

This chapter was actually added at the last minute. I didn't think it was necessary to put this scene in at first, but when I wrote it and looked at it, I realized there was some great character development in it. The first part of it was actually tagged to the end of the last chapter, but I thought better of it and put it with the second part of this chapter. It kind of wrote itself. I just wanted to write how different meeting Han would have been with Anakin in it and before I knew it, I had written two thousand additional words. Oh yeah! Like I said. Luke has more of a feel for his force ability. More like instinct and it's in part because he knew his dad was a jedi much earlier than in canon.

There's a part in this that might make Anakin seem a little dark, but I was like, I can't write this and not have it so I'll explain it at the end. Read, enjoy, and review!

Chapter Four

Anakin slowly trudged through the dessert in hopes of getting to Obi-Wan's hovel. He didn't have to go far though, because he was on top of a hill looking at the homestead with Luke and two droids, two very familiar droids.

"Alex," Luke yelled seeing him from the distance. He ran to him.

"What are you doing here?" Luke asked. "What's going on?"

Anakin shook his head and urged Luke back to the speeder. Anakin got in the driver's seat and Luke stared at him.

"Hey! I'm driving," Luke shot.

"No time for this son," Anakin said. "We have to get off planet right now. The Ladies in Waiting know we're here."

"They know we're here?" Luke asked. "What's this got to do with you…? You're a jedi too aren't you?"

Anakin nodded and passed the boy his old light saber.

"Here."

Luke looked down at it and turned to his older friend in appreciation. "Thanks. It's the only thing my dad left me… Wait a minute. Where's my aunt and uncle?"

"They got away. Pemé took them off planet."

"Where are we going?" Luke asked.

"Has anyone ever told you that you ask a lot of questions?" Anakin snapped.

Luke sat back. "Well excuse me for wondering when I've been dragged on this wild space adventure."

"As if you didn't want to go on it in the first place," Anakin said pointedly. "And watch your tone young man."

Luke laughed. "Who do you think you are Alex? My father?"

Obi-Wan laughed in amusement behind them, and Anakin rolled his eyes. If only Luke knew.

"Glad you found us," Obi-Wan said to Anakin. "You can help us find ourselves a ship."

"A ship?" Anakin asked. "Something tells me it's not just to get off world. It's that message that was on that droid isn't it?"

Behind him Artoo beeped loudly, and Anakin chanced a glance from the open dessert.

"Artoo," Anakin said smiling. "I haven't seen you in a while. What are you doing here?"

"Princess Leia sent them here," Obi-Wan said.

"Them?" Anakin asked.

Luke nodded to the protocol droid behind him and Anakin grinned.

"Threepio."

"You know these droids?" Luke asked.

"Of course I do. I-." Anakin stopped. Now wasn't the time for a family reunion. "Your father built the protocol droid and the Artoo used to belong to him."

Luke stared at the droids with new fascination. Anakin was reminded of himself when he got his first chance to get off planet. Everything had fascinated him.

"What's this about Princess Leia?" he asked getting back on topic.

"We have to get these droids to Alderaan," Obi-Wan replied. "The princess has been captured."

Anakin suddenly felt an ache in his chest, and he wondered if it was from what Obi-Wan told him, or something else. It was definitely something else he decided, but he wasn't sure what. There was a very faint cry for help somewhere.

"Is she alright," Anakin asked trying to hide his concern. Obi-Wan looked at him and Anakin sighed.

"Okay. We'll go to Alderaan, but after that, we're going to find the princess," Anakin decided.

"But we still don't have a ship," Luke reminded and Anakin shrugged.

"Shouldn't be much of a problem."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Oh no," Luke said as they drove into Mos Eisley. "Storm troopers looking for the droids."

"Calm down son," Anakin said stopping behind the other speeder as it was checked. "We'll be fine."

Luke sat back in his seat and tried to relax as they pulled up to the troopers.

"How long have you had these droids?" one asked.

"About three or four season," Luke replied before either adult could say anything.

"They're for sale if you want them?" Obi-Wan added.

"Let me see you identification."

Luke nervously reached in his pocket to find his ID and Anakin watched in amusement. Obi-Wan scowled at Anakin and turned to the trooper.

"You don't need to see his identification," he said. "These aren't the droids you're looking for. He can go about his business."

The trooper repeated this in a trance like way and Luke looked between Ben and the trooper in amazement. Anakin drove off and it wasn't until they pulled up to a rundown cantina that Luke got his nerves back.

As Anakin shooed away the jawa, Luke said, "I can't understand how we got by those troopers. I thought we were dead."

"The Force can have a strong influence on the weak minded," Obi-Wan explained. "You will find it a powerful ally."

Luke began to speak, but Anakin cut him off.

"We should certainly find a ship here. Most of the pretty good freighter pilots can be found here. Just make sure to watch out."

"I know," Luke muttered. "This place is a little rough."

Anakin turned to him and smirked. "So I did see you here a few weeks ago with some of your friends. Do your guardians know about you night activities?"

Luke blushed. "Hey. All I was doing was playing a little sabbaac."

"You were gambling, and you were drinking," Anakin said pointedly.

"I was mad at my uncle. It was harmless," Luke insisted.

"And the spice dealers you pissed off when you swindled them out their money were harmless too," Anakin said in a serious tone though he was trying to hide his amusement.

Luke couldn't find an argument to that. It had only been luck that got him out of that jam. Anakin sensed his embarrassment and smiled. Then he turned to Threepio and Artoo.

"Stay out here. This bar isn't welcoming to droids," he said.

They went inside and since Luke had no experience in the area of negotiating he sat at the bar while Anakin and Obi-Wan looked around.

Luke looked at the drink he ordered. He shouldn't have ordered it. His nerves were a mess. His world was suddenly turning upside down on him and he had a feeling it would only get worse. It was all he could expect being the son of a jedi. He was always getting into some kind of trouble. But he had a feeling all of it was nothing compared to what he was getting into. He wondered if his father had been a trouble magnet like him. Speaking of trouble…

Luke looked to his side as an alien with many eyes came up to him and shoved him, obviously drunk. He could sense that the alien didn't like him for some unknown reason and the short human male that came up next to the alien proved him right.

"He doesn't like you," the human said.

Luke sighed and said annoyed, "I'm sorry."

"I don't like you either," the human said.

"Good. I'm glad the feeling's mutual," Luke replied tensely. This was not going to end well. For who? He wasn't sure.

"Don't insult us. You just watch yourself. We're wanted men. I had a death sentence in twelve systems!"

Luke would have asked if that were something to be proud of if his senses hadn't warned him not to. Instead he replied, "I'll be careful then."

"You'll be dead."

Luke braced himself for a scuffle. As much as he hated fighting, he was wasn't just going to let some scum push him around.

"Touch one hair on his head and you'll be the one that's dead," Anakin said in a deadly calm tone from behind Luke.

Luke had never been so relieved. Then his senses told him to duck. He slid out his stool, knocking over the drinks on the counter and barely missing being knocked across the room. He stood back up next to Anakin. The alien drew a blaster.

The bartender barely yelled out, "No blasters," before in the blink of an eye, Anakin took off the arm holding the blaster and cut the rodent like alien next to him in two. The human backed away and Anakin held it threateningly towards him. Everyone in the bar went back to what they were doing and Luke looked in awe.

"When do I learn to do that?" he asked.

Anakin muttered something in huttese. Luke, who was less fluent in it than the older man was caught the words slimy and sith hell before the man turned to him and smirked.

"In good time son," Anakin replied as Obi-Wan came up behind them with a wookie. Luke whistled. It was tall.

"Where ever there's trouble, I know I'll find you there. It hasn't failed me yet," Obi-Wan said sighing. "Really Alex. Are you trying to give me more gray hairs?"

"Why of course not master? I stopped trying to give them to you years ago. I can't help it if I do it without trying now," Anakin said smirking.

Obi-Wan glared and glanced at Luke briefly before looking back at Anakin.

"You'll get it all back tenfold," the old jedi assured before gesturing to the wookie. "This is Chewbacca. He's first-mate on a ship that might suit our needs."

Chewbacca led them to a table in the bad of the room where a scruffy looking man with brown hair sat.

Upon first lying eyes on the man, Anakin could tell he wouldn't like him. He was proven right when the man attempted to brag about his ship and how fast it was. Han, he had called himself. Luke on the other hand felt that there was something about Han. He couldn't put his hands on it though. Sure he seemed cocky, but Luke had a feeling he'd grow to like him.

"Only passengers. Us," Obi-Wan said gesturing to himself and Anakin. "The boy and two droids. No questions asked."

"What is it? Some kind of local trouble?"

"Let's just say we'd like to avoid any Imperial entanglements."

Han leaned back smugly, and Anakin could tell he was going to use that to his advantage. Why did Obi-Wan have to mention that?

"Well that's the trick isn't it? And it's going to cost you something extra. Ten thousand in advance."

Anakin looked up from the table to stare at the smuggler in disbelief. Next to him, he could feel Luke's shock as well.

"Ten thousand? We could almost buy our own ship for that!" Anakin shot.

"But who's going to fly it old man? You?" Han asked.

Anakin almost laughed. Solo didn't know who he was talking to.

"Of course I could," he replied. "Let's go. I'm not going to sit here and listen to-."

"Alex," Obi-Wan said sternly. "We need a ship."

"And you sound desperate," Han quipped. "That's my price. Either that or no deal."

"I don't too much like that ultimatum," Anakin said darkly. "How about you lower your price, or…"

Han felt a sudden pressure on his neck and began to scratch his throat a little. That was odd. He looked at Anakin who was smiling a little and began to speak. Obi-Wan got there first.

"Stop it," he warned Anakin.

Anakin rolled his eyes and the pressure was lifted from Han's neck. Luke looked between them. He was positive he had missed something.

"We don't have that much with us. But we could pay you two thousand now, plus fifteen thousand when we reach Alderaan," Obi-Wan suggested.

Anakin scoffed. Now Obi-Wan was making them seem desperate like the pirate already thought they were.

"That's ridiculous," Luke muttered.

"Seventeen huh?" Han asked and appeared to think about it. Anakin resisted the urge to try to choke the man again. As if he had to think about that. It was practically a steal.

"Okay. You got yourself a ship. We'll leave as soon as you're ready. Docking bay ninety-four," Han said and then looked behind them. "Looks like somebody's taking an interest in you handiwork."

Luke, Anakin, and Obi-Wan ducked out of the cantina quickly. When they were outside, Obi-Wan began to scold Anakin.

"I've told you about doing that. That's a dark side trick."

"What's dark about choking someone with the force," Anakin shot. "Besides I wasn't really angry. I was just trying to scare him a little. He probably deserved it anyway. There's only one reason he would charge so much for a ride."

"And what's that?" Luke asked curiously.

"That pirate is in debt to a hutt. Anyone who does dealings with them deserves a little punishment. So my harmless little 'dark side' stunt was hardly a sin."

It then clicked in Luke's head what he had seen Alex do. He had apparently used the forced to try to choke Han. No wonder he had been so amused and Han started scratching at his neck. He started to laugh. Obi-Wan glared.

"There's nothing funny about dancing on the border of the dark side of the force Luke. Take heed. Once you resort to the dark side, forever will it dominate your destiny. Maybe you'll take it more seriously than Alex does," Obi-Wan snapped.

Anakin stopped. Luke sensed that his mood had suddenly gone solemn.

"You don't need to remind me to take it seriously. I know that all too well thank you if you remember correctly," he stormed ahead of them.

"What's his problem?" Luke asked in confusion.

"It's something personal. Not my story to tell. Alex may tell you one day," Obi-Wan said sighing. Anakin still hadn't gotten over Pesinoé.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After they had sold the speeder, Anakin, Luke, and Obi-wan along with the droids headed to docking bay ninety-four.

"If this ship is as fast as Capitan Solo claims," Anakin began, "we should make good time."

Chewbacca was waiting for them outside of it and led them to the ship. Luke's jaw dropped when he saw the ship, not in awe though. It was in disbelief.

"What a piece of junk," he said. "It looks like it'll fall apart if I blow on it!"

"Not a far cry from the truth. I salvage junk and turn it into something working and apparently that's what our captain was trying to do when he got this thing. The difference between me and him is that I actually know what I'm doing. Obviously he doesn't," Anakin said sighing, although inside he was just giddy about the ship. He hadn't seen a case this bad in a while. If he could get his hands on it, it would be one of the biggest challenges he ever had… Anakin shook the thought from his head.

They had a mission and the sooner he got to Alderaan and away from the pirate, the less inclined he would be toward some of his darker tendencies.

"Come on Luke," Anakin said starting up the ramp, but Luke didn't move.

"Luke," he said again and Luke suddenly shook his head.

"That's weird…"

"What is it?"

Luke shrugged. He really couldn't say. Something had just come over him. "I felt numb all of a sudden… well, not numb, but like needles were pricking me all over and I felt a little lightheaded. The strange part was that it just felt like a phantom pain or something. Like I was just feeling a little of a greater pain."

Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at each other. It wasn't the first time this had happened. Usually when Luke had a pain for some unknown reason, it was because of Leia even though he didn't know she existed. It had happened when Queen Breha died some years ago. Luke was sad and said he felt like he had lost something important for days. Come to find out, he was feeling Leia's grief over her adoptive mother. It was a rare thing though. Leia really had to be in pain for Luke to feel it.

"Are you alright now then?" asked Obi-Wan.

Luke nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."

"And please hurry," Han urged. "We're a little rushed here."

Anakin didn't know what it was about Han that bothered him, and he started to try to scare him again, until he felt a warning in the force urging him to press on.

Just as the ramp closed and Han was in the cockpit preparing to take off, storm troopers made their way into the docking bay.

Anakin frowned as he looked at the pirate out the corner of his eye. In a way, the man owed the storm troopers for his well being.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I just couldn't let go of the force choke thing and it's something Han is going to get well acquainted with throughout the series, especially after they meet Leia. I found it a way to kind of lighten up the story a bit from time to time. I think it could go either way with Han and Anakin's relationship. But when I thought about how he was a pirate, in debt to a Hutt, and only caring about money, I figured it would be fairly reasonable that Anakin wouldn't like him that much. Hope you enjoyed. Review please!


	5. Chapter 5

Alright people. Count your blessings. I forgot where the break between this chapter and the next was because I didn't mark it. So that last part may very well have been part of the next chapter which was kind of long even without it. And so here lies the destruction of Alderaan. And before you read, just ask yourself what do you think would have happened if Vader hadn't held Leia back when she stepped toward Tarkin after the destruction of Alderaan. In this chapter, we find out. I actually contemplated taking it out, but I'm sure if someone had destroyed my home planet and destroyed billions of lives for no real reason, I would have done the same thing. Oh yeah and lets just say Tarkin's action are because of something personal that happened between Pesinoe and him. One meeting can change a lot you know.

Oh yeah and some of you asked why Anakin just doesn't tell Luke then. Well, let me put it like this. I don't think Luke needs to be bogged down with the realization that his parents were in front of him all along and Obi-Wan and Anakin realize that. His sister is a totally different thing. They lived on two different planets and never knew each other.

Also it can be said that George Lucas had no reason for Yoda and Obi-Wan not to tell Luke that Leia was his sister in the original trilogy. So why wait until the last movie? Just something to think about. But don't worry, the reason is eventually explained or the reason Anakin stops himself from telling is explained. Again, it was a last minute addition to the story. But enough of my yapping. We'll get to that later. Hope you like this. Read, enjoy, and review.

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Chapter Five

Pesinoé bowed before the hologram of her master.

"What's your report?" he asked.

"We have yet to get the plans to the death star and it worries me. I believe there is a weakness that the rebels can exploit. Governor Tarkin however insists that it is indestructible," Pesinoé replied.

"All the more reason for you to find out where the rebel base is from the princess and destroy it," Sidious said.

"She's proving to be difficult to break," Pesinoé replied. "Even a force seduction didn't persuade her."

The sith master looked at his apprentice. Something had disturbed her. Ever since her duel with her former master on Mustafar the woman had never been out of control. She claimed it was the sole reason she lost. Her emotions hadn't been in this kind of mess since she found out Skywalker was married…

"There's more my young apprentice," Sidious asked.

"With all due respect your highness, I'm hardly young anymore," Pesinoé corrected knowing she'd get into some kind of trouble for this later.

Sidious scowled. Pesinoé was an efficient warrior and military genius, but she never held her tongue. He had punished her for it on more than a few occasions.

"Pesinoé," Sidious said in a warning tone and the sith lady sighed casting her eyes to the side.

"The princess is more valuable than I first assumed," she said.

"And how is that?"

Pesinoé didn't know why she was suddenly finding this so difficult. A few hours ago, she had been eager to report this.

"She is the child of Skywalker," she finally said. "His wife was carrying twins. Her brother's force presence shielded the princess' when their mother was carrying them. It is why I dismissed her resemblance to the senator before."

Sidious leaned back. He had a feeling there was something else.

"Then as soon as you get what you need from her, kill her."

"Actually," Pesinoé started slowly knowing that what she was about to say would not bode well with her master. "I was hoping you would allow me to take the girl under my wing?"

"That's a treacherous idea. What are you planning Pesinoé?"

The sith lady laughed. "Treachery is our way my master but alas, that's not my goal. However, what better way to have revenge on Skywalker than to divide and conquer his family."

Sidious leaned back. "You don't still possess feelings for Skywalker do you?"

Pesinoé laughed sourly. "Of course not. But Skywalker must learn there is a price to crossing a sith lady."

Sidious leaned back on his throne. "Keep her then, but only if you can turn her. If not, kill her. The child of Skywalker is too big a threat to be left alive."

"Yes my master," she said and cut off the hologram. She stepped out her room and into the hallway to see two officers escorting the Princess to the brig of the death star. Pesinoé snarled. What did Tarkin have in mind to persuade the girl now? She told him the princess would not willingly betray the rebel alliance, not without a lot of force manipulation, a force manipulation Pesinoé had yet to discover… She'd think about that later.

Still if the force didn't work, what made Tarkin think he could do it?

She followed and stood behind the princess. It was then Pesinoé noticed the planetary system they were in. She looked at Tarkin and frowned. So that's what he had in mind… But he wouldn't dare. Alderaan had some of the most precious natural resources in the galaxy and the rarest. Sure there were other planets like it, but Tarkin would put it all to waste just because the princess wouldn't tell the location of a rag tag group of rebels who until recently were no real threat to the Empire?

"Arrogant, power high, sexist bigot," Pesinoé muttered and a few more in her native language.

"Governor Tarkin. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board," Leia said haughtily and Pesinoé had to admit she like the girl's feistiness. Leia's next comment wiped any admiration that Pesinoé had though.

"I should have known you were holding Pesinoé's leash," she finished.

Pesinoé restrained herself from hurting the girl. Instead, she rolled her eyes.

"Believe me princess, I'm not the one on a leash here. Tarkin's the one on a leash. It's just so long that he's forgotten it's around his neck. All I have to do is tug on it a little and it keeps him in check," Pesinoé said circling the girl.

Tarkin eyed Pesinoé angrily but turned away. He'd deal with her later.

"Charming to the last," he said to the princess. "You don't know how hard I found it signing the order to terminate your life."

Leia smirked. "I'm surprised you had the courage to take the responsibility yourself."

Pesinoé let out a smug laugh. She could learn to like the princess despite who her parents were. The princess had certainly inherited her father's wit.

"Princess Leia, before your execution I'd like you to be my guest at a ceremony that will make this battle station operational," Tarkin said invitingly and Pesinoé scoffed. Being inviting was her job.

"No star system will dare oppose the emperor now," explained Tarkin confidently.

It sickened Pesinoé that Tarkin put so much faith in his little toy.

"The more you tighten your grip, the more star systems will slip through your fingers," Leia replied.

Tarkin looked at the princess and though the princess didn't show it, Pesinoé could feel her fear. What was Tarkin up to…?

"Not after we demonstrate the power of this station. In a way you have determined the choice of the planet that'll be destroyed first. Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of the rebel base, I have chosen to test this station's destructive power… on your home planet," he added turning to look out the view port.

Leia looked out the window and gasped. Tarkin wouldn't…

"No! Alderaan is a peaceful planet. We have no weapons. You can't," Leia cried raising her handcuffed wrist.

Pesinoé was in disbelief herself. Alderaan was too valuable a planet. It disappeared, and it would only give the rebels more sympathizers. Places like Naboo, that wanted nothing but to stay to themselves, would wonder if they were a potential target. They'd have even more rebellion on their hands. She began to mutter obscenities under her breath. Really, this was a waste of time.

"You would prefer another target? A military target perhaps? Then name the system!"

Pesinoé had to give it to Tarkin. She had no idea he could be so ruthless… Then again he did have a big bad battle station with the ability to destroy a planet on his side. If it weren't for that, he wouldn't have anything to intimidate the princess with.

When Leia didn't answer, Tarkin snapped, "I grow tired of asking this. So it'll be the last time. Where is the rebel base?

Leia looked down in defeat and said softly, "Datooine. They're on Datooine."

"See there, Pesinoé," Tarkin said smugly. "She can be reasoned with."

"That's Lady Pesinoé to you Tarkin," Pesinoé snapped.

Tarkin ignored her. "You may fire when ready."

"What?" Leia said.

Pesinoé looked on with halfhearted interest. She had known exactly how this was going to play out. Princess Leia put far too much trust in Tarkin to keep his word. Tarkin's word meant nothing. The man was a greasy power hungry fool, and he would take pleasure in destroying an entire planet along with a whole world of natural resources, people and species that were probably only native to the planet. The princess was bold and courageous, but far too naïve….

Good thing the princess didn't fully trust Tarkin if at all. She had lied about the base. Pesinoé could sense it. It was no use telling that to Tarkin though. May as well let him find out the hard way…

"Datooine is too remote a planet for an effective demonstration, but don't worry. We'll deal with your rebel friends," Tarkin said.

Pesinoé heard the laser fire up and then in the blink of an eye, it fired. Alderaan was no more. Leia lunged for Tarkin. Pesinoé laughed. She had sensed what Leia was about to do and could have easily grabbed her shoulder to stop her, but she felt no obligation to protect the governor.

Two male officers grabbed Leia who still struggled against her bounds to get Tarkin. They ended up having to stun her to subdue her.

Pesinoé watched as they dragged her to her cell. She turned to her ladies.

"Follow them. They have malicious intent, and I'd like the pleasure of taking the princess down fighting," Pesinoé said protecting the girl's honor for the second time that day. She was above rape.

The ladies hurried down the hall behind then. Pesinoé let out a cruel laugh at Tarkin as he held his bleeding face where the princess had scratched him.

"Don't worry Tarkin," she said putting her prosthetic fingers on his face and coming close to him. "You may be left a little scarred, but your ego will eventually heal."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anakin scowled as he sat on the ship with their pilot and the wookie, Chewie. He could have gotten them away from the imperials blockading the planet in half the time it took Han did if the man had let him pilot it. The boy was a scoundrel, and Anakin's first instinct was not to like him. But Han could be trusted.

"Ow!" Luke exclaimed as the bolt hit him again.

Anakin laughed. "You're thinking too hard Luke. Reach out with your feelings. Trust in the force. Let it guide you."

Obi-Wan glared at him. "Don't intrude on my lesson with him," he said and then turned back to Luke. "Now Luke, you're thinking too hard. Reach out with your feelings. Trust in the force. Let it guide you."

Anakin gave Obi-Wan a pointed look. Obi-Wan smiled.

"Like this?" Luke asked.

Han, who was now sitting in the corner of the room, rolled his eyes. "Hokey religions are no replacement for a good blaster," he said.

"You don't believe in the force?" Luke asked.

"Kid," Han began. "I've seen a lot of strange things around the galaxy but nothing that makes me believe that there's this great living organism that controls everything."

Luke turned around ready to try again. Anakin handed him a helmet.

"Put this on," he said.

"But Alex, I won't be able to see."

"That's the idea," Anakin said putting it on Luke's head. "Now you'll have to trust your feelings and put your faith in the force."

Luke nodded and waited. Two bolts came at him and he blocked both with ease.

"I did it," he said taking off the helmet.

"Lucky shot," Han yelled.

Luke didn't reply, and Anakin's dislike for Han increased. The young man was giving him a new reason to dislike him every time he opened his mouth. At this rate, he'd turn to the dark side because of Han by the end of the trip.

"So, did you know my father?" Luke asked Anakin ignoring the conversation Han was having with Chewie and the droids.

"I fought with him on several occasions, yes," Anakin replied running a hand through his beard. He hated it, but without it, he may as well wear a sign that had his name in flashing lights.

"What was he like?"

Anakin looked at Obi-Wan who gestured for him to reply. It was odd, Anakin thought, to be talking about himself to his son.

"He was a great friend and the best pilot the galaxy had ever seen. He was so excited when he found out his wife was pregnant. In fact, he was going to leave the jedi when the war was over to take care of you with his wife on her home world," Anakin replied softly. "That was before the jedi were declared traitors and Darth Pesinoé wiped them out."

"And my mother?" Luke asked. "I don't even know her name."

"Padmé," said Anakin. "Your father thought she was an angel when they met and always did after that."

"Padmé," Luke said. "That's pretty. Where was she-?"

"Ah," Anakin said holding his chest. Obi-Wan did a similar thing where he was.

"What happened?" Luke asked.

"A great disturbance in the force," Obi-Wan explained. "It's as though millions suddenly cried out in terror and then were silenced."

Anakin fell out his seat. Luke rushed to him.

"Alex, are you okay?"

"Yeah. Fine. I've always been a little more sensitive to the force," Anakin said standing up. In reality, it wasn't just that. Someone was in terrible anguish and pain. He had sensed it sense they had sought out Han and it stayed as a dull ache in his chest. It wasn't Padmé but someone just as close… Leia.

"Captain Solo," Anakin started when the pain subsided. "How long until we get to Alderaan?"

Han shrugged. "A few hours I guess. Why?"

Anakin didn't reply. Instead he began to pace the room. Leia was in trouble and he'd be damned to sith hell if he didn't get there in time to save her.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Pesinoé tapped her nails on the round table as they waited for the results of the scout they had sent to Tatooine. Tarkin kept sending her smug looks and it was taking all her will power not to kill the man.

An officer came in and she looked at him expectantly. Before Tarkin could ask, Pesinoé did.

"Well?" she asked.

"While there were traces of an old rebel base, it looks to have been abandoned some time ago," he said and Pesinoé gave Tarkin her own smug look.

"What did I tell you Tarkin? I knew the princess would not willing betray the rebel alliance," she said.

Tarkin scowled. "Schedule the princess for immediate execution."

Pesinoé started to stand. "It'll be my pleasure."

"Not you," Tarkin snapped. "I won't have you taking your sick pleasure in killing the princess. You'll have to satisfy your lower sith lady desires later on board your own vessel."

Pesinoé bared her teeth at him. "Care to say that again?" she asked, her eyes flashing sith yellow.

"Do you really think you intimidate me with your freaky powers," Tarkin dared.

Pesinoé frowned. "I remember telling you earlier that the power to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the force Tarkin. Don't make me have to show you."

"You'd do well to stop trying to frighten me with you whorish and freaky ways Pesinoé. Your sad devotion to that ancient religion hasn't found the plans, nor has it gotten the location of the rebel base from Princess Leia," Tarkin snapped.

"Neither has your battle station," Pesinoé snapped glowering at the man.

"My point exactly," Tarkin replied.

The emperor might punish her later. He had given Trakin reign over the Death Star and therefore, so long as Pesinoé was on it she was technically subjected to him. But there was no force on earth that would stop her from killing Tarkin this time. It wouldn't be the first time she got in trouble for killing a governor. The empire was mostly male dominated and while her master warned the governors not to cross or underestimate his right hand woman, they couldn't quite get their minds wrapped around the reality that a woman was second to no one except the emperor. Last time a man had made her this angry, she had made him so sick and in pain with desire for her that he killed himself to escape the torturous feeling.

That kind of punishment was too merciful for Tarkin though. She wracked her brain for a more cruel and entertaining way to bring Trakin to his demise and reached out with the force.

"I find your lack of faith disturbing Governor," she said getting ready to lash out on him with her attack…

"Milady."

Pesinoé snapped her attention to the three Ladies in Waiting and resisted the urge to kill them for interrupting her.

"What?"

"We were unable to find the droids on Tatooine. We believe a jedi may have aided the droids and the people who took the droids escape," the togrutan said.

"A jedi?" Pesinoé said intrigued.

"Yes milady. We fought him and…"

Pesinoé crossed her arms in expectation. "Well? Did you kill him?"

The human lady pushed aside a part of her robe that covered her leg revealing the light saber cut. Darth Pesinoé stepped forward to look closer… The cut itself wasn't that bad. It would heal in a few weeks and at its worse leave a scar. It was the fact that it was there at all that concerned her. No jedi had ever gotten a hit on one of her ladies. They were that well trained. It would have to be an extraordinary jedi to do that.

"Could it be…?" Pesinoé muttered and then stood straight.

She smiled and then turned to Tarkin.

"Put the entire battle station on alert," she said to him. "We're going to be having company soon."

"That's ridiculous. It would be a waste of time and effort," Tarkin said.

"Unlike you, I have the power of the force on my side, and it's much more reliable that any instinct you could ever have. Now get on it," Pesinoé snapped walking away.

Tarkin growled. He couldn't wait until that woman was gone from his station.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It took me a minute to figure out how I wanted Pesinoé to relate to Palpatine. Of course, she's the apprentice, and therefore she's subjected to him. But I also wanted her to retain a few of the traits that made her who she was. Also, I always thought George Lucas just kind of threw the emperor into the last movie. For the most part, Vader was the bad guy and I've been trying to come up with a way to combat it. Oh well. And one more thing. I'm very well aware, I switched the order Leia said the ting about Tarkin's stench and Pesinoe's leash thing. I did that on purpose. Hope you enjoyed. Review please!


	6. Chapter 6

Okay, so I decided to put this up a little early to make up for the fact that I missed an update this week anyway for the fourth of July. Anywho, this is the rescue of Leia and some other stuff two. There are two parts to it and the next part will be in the next chapter. Oh and before anyone asks, I ditched the garbage scene because I put in a new scene. Besides, what's the point of the garbage scene when there's a fully trained jedi with them this time. That wasn't the only reason. You'll see though.

And no, I didn't change Padmé's name. It's just that Luke and Leia don't know Anakin or Padmé as themselves so when it switches to their thoughts or point of view, I use the names they know them as. Hopefully it's not too confusing. And thanks for all the reviews. You know I just realized I never used a disclaimer earlier, but I apparent gave GL credit because I've mentioned him quite a bit, but just so I won't get in trouble, I do not own Star Wars. I wish I did! If I did, this is how the movies would have played out or another way which brings me to my next thing. But I'll tell you at the end. Read, enjoy, and review!

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chapter Six

An alarm sounded on the falcon catching everyone's attention. Han went to the cockpit. Chewie, Anakin, Luke, and Obi-Wan followed.

"What's going on?" Anakin demanded.

"Our position is correct except no Alderaan." Han replied confused.

Luke looked out the visor. "What do you mean? Where is it?"

"That's what I'm trying to tell you kid. It aint there. It's been blown away." Han snapped.

"That's impossible," Anakin said. "Nothing can just wipe an entire planet off the map. Unless…"

He'd been on Tatooine too long. He wasn't exactly sure what the empire was doing, but he briefly remembered Padmé tell him about a super battle station with the power to wipe out a whole planet that the empire was working on, the Death Star. It was a hush hush project. Supposedly it had been in the works since the start of the empire.

Out of nowhere a tie fighter raced past them. Anakin narrowed his eyes.

"It followed us," Luke said gravely.

"No. It's a short range fighter," Anakin corrected.

Han shook his head. "There aren't any bases out here. Where'd it come from?"

They continued to follow it, and Anakin's senses continued to bother him. Things were about to change. For the better or for the worse, he didn't know.

"A fighter that size couldn't have gotten this deep into space on its own," Obi-Wan said as they continued to tail it.

"It must have gotten lost," Luke suggested. "Been part of a convoy or something."

Han shrugged. "Well it ain't going to be around long enough to tell anyone about us."

"Hey look. He's headed for that small moon." Luke pointed out. Something about it felt ominous.

"That's no moon," Obi-Wan said. "It's a battle station."

"It's too big," Han said and then gaped in awe as they got closer to it.

Luke shook his head. "I've got a bad feeling about this. Maybe we should turn around."

Han nodded. "Already on it kid. Full reverse. Chewie lock in the auxiliary power."

Luke looked at the station as Han started flicking switches and pressing buttons, but it looked like they were getting closer to it.

"Han, why are we still flying towards it?" he asked cautiously.

"We've been caught in a tractor beam," Anakin said gravely as he felt a presence he hadn't felt in almost twenty years. "Darth Pesinoé's on that ship."

"Darth Pesinoé," Luke said and then looked at Han. "There's got to be something you can do or else we're doomed."

"Not if I have anything to do with it," Han said getting out his seat. "Come on."

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Pesinoé found herself smiling at Tarkin again as the ship pulled into the docking bay. She didn't waste her breath pointing out that she was right again. It was the same ship that her ladies reported had blasted its way out of Mos Eisley. The princess may have still been some use to them after all. She waited outside the ship as storm troopers and an officer checked it. They came out.

"Well?" she asked.

"There's no one on board," the officer said.

"The droids?"

"If they were any on board they must also have jettisoned."

"I want that ship fully searched and scanned," Pesinoé said somewhat distracted. "I sense something. A presence I have not felt since…"

Pesinoé trailed off and gestured for her ladies to follow her. "Leave this to them. I have a feeling we'll be having visitors."

When Anakin was sure he felt Pesinoé's presence fade a little and the storm troopers leave, Anakin lifted up the top of the smuggling compartment.

"Lucky you had these compartments Han," Luke said climbing out.

"Yeah," the man said. "I use them for smuggling. I just never thought I'd be smuggling myself in them. This is ridiculous. Even if we could take off, I'd never get past the tractor beam."

"Now how are we going to get out of here," Luke asked and Anakin shook his head.

"Just wait," he said summoning Han's blaster to him as he backed into a corner of the ship. Two storm troopers came in and Anakin shot both of them.

"Put the suits on," Anakin said to Luke and Han. They stepped down the ramp. They were the only ones there now.

The gantry officer looked out the window at them and scowled. "Why aren't you at your post?"

Han gestured to his ear to indicate his com wasn't working. The gantry officer sighed in annoyance.

"Take over. We've got a bad transmitter. I'll see what I can do."

When he slid the door open, Chewie stood there and shocked the officer into stumbling backwards. Chewie howled and knocked the officer down. His partner reached for his blaster. Han shot him before he could attack.

"You know," Luke said taking off his helmet. "Between his howling and your blasting everything in sight, it's a wonder the whole station doesn't know we're here."

"Bring it on. I prefer a straight out fight to all this sneaking around anyway," Han shot taking off his helmet too.

"Well there's something we can both agree on," Anakin replied moving past him. "Artoo, plug in to the computer outlet."

Artoo beeped something after a moment and Threepio translated, "He says he's found the main reactor to the tractor beam and he'll try to pull it up on the monitor."

When Artoo pulled it up Threepio said, "The tractor beam is coupled to the main reactor in seven locations. A power loss at one of the terminals will allow the ship to leave."

"I don't think you all can help," Obi-Wan said looking at the monitor. He started to the door. "I'll go alone."

"Whatever, I've already got more than I bargained for on this trip," said Han sitting down.

"I'll go with you," Anakin said preparing to follow him. Obi-Wan held him back. "What are you-?"

"I sense I'll be running into Darth Pesinoé along the way. You're not ready to face her yet. You destiny lies on another path," Obi-Wan said.

"But I failed to bring her down last time. I have to right this," Anakin argued.

"You'll get that chance, but not today Anakin," Obi-Wan assured and left.

As he did Luke's words caught Anakin's attention.

"The princess? She's here?" Luke asked.

"Leia," Anakin said pushing Han's chair aside as he went to talk to Artoo.

Han almost fell out the chair and glared at Anakin. "Oh I'm sorry sir. I didn't hear you say excuse me," he snapped.

Anakin ignored him as he listened to Artoo. "Level five. Block A twenty-three?"

Artoo beeped again but this time more frantic.

"She's scheduled for execution," Anakin repeated and then took his light saber off his belt.

"We've got to do something," Luke said.

"What are you talking about?" Han asked sitting up.

"We're going to save Leia. You coming?" Anakin asked headed for the door.

"The old man told us to wait right here," Han said.

"He didn't know she was here," Luke replied.

"I'm not going," Han declared.

"Han!" Luke sighed rolling his eyes. Could the man act any more immature?

"Forget him," Anakin said. "Let's go."

Luke grabbed Anakin's arm. "You can't just go out there. You'd never get to her. Hold on."

Luke turned back to Han. "I bet she's rich."

Han looked up, and his eyes brightened. "Rich?"

Anakin rolled his eyes. He could add that to the list of reasons he didn't like Han. All he cared about was money.

"I bet the reward would be…" Luke trailed off.

"What?" Han asked looking at him.

"Well, more than you can imagine."

Anakin scoffed as Han got up and grabbed the helmet.

"I don't know. I can imagine quite a bit."

Luke grabbed two pairs of cuffs and started to put them on Chewie. He growled and handed them to Hand while putting the other pair on Anakin. Anakin smiled. Luke was very resourceful. He'd make a good jedi.

"Come on," Luke said urging Han on as they left the station.

When they got to the detention block, Chewie broke out the cuffs as did Anakin. He brought out his light saber and struck down the two guards.

"Come on Alex," Luke said running to the princess' cell.

Anakin started to follow but then heard Han's conversation with the officer over the com. The scoundrel was going to blow their cover.

"We're fine. We're all fine here. Thank you. How are you?"

"Han!" Anakin shouted.

"We're sending someone up there," the officer said.

Han panicked. "No really-."

Anakin destroyed the communications with his light saber.

"Perfect. Now they know something's wrong," he snapped.

Han shrugged and readied his blaster. "It was a boring conversation anyway. Hey Luke. Hurry up back there. We're going to have company!"

Anakin shoved Han into the tunnel. "Go help Luke find the princess. I'll take care of this."

"Hey. No need to be so pushy. I don't have to-." Han stopped as he felt pressure on his neck before he was suddenly lifted off the ground. He dropped a second later. "On second thought, I think I'll help Luke find the princess. Come on Chewie."

Han started down the tunnel, and Anakin heard him loudly saying, "Oh princess! Princess!"

Anakin groaned. That man drove him insane. Forget the fact that deep down he knew Han had a good heart.

Meanwhile, Luke had found the door to Princess Leia's cell. He blasted it open. Leia who had been asleep slowly open her eyes.

She sat up and sighed. "Aren't you a little short for a storm trooper?"

"Huh?" Luke said and then remembered the helmet. He took it off. "Oh yeah. The uniform."

Leia tilted her head. There was something about this boy, and she didn't quite know what it was. She felt like she knew him. Then he said his name.

"I'm Luke Skywalker. I'm here to rescue you," he said.

Leia stared. "You're who?" she asked in amazement. Luke Skywalker. Darth Pesinoé's words came back to her. There was no way.

"I'm here to rescue you. I've got your R2 unit. I'm here with Ben Kenobi," he added.

Leia had never moved so fast in her life. "Ben Kenobi! Where is he?"

Luke nodded to the door. "Come on!"

As they ran down the tunnel, Leia couldn't get Pesinoé's words out her mind. She looked at Luke and said, "Are you by any chance related to Anakin Skywalker?"

Luke nodded. "Yeah. He's my father."

Somehow Leia wasn't surprised. She had felt the truth of Pesinoé's words, but it still disturbed her. Before she could say anything else, they ran into Han and Chewie.

"I don't think we're going to be getting out back that way," Han said.

Leia looked at him and then tried to look over his shoulder. "Why?"

"Because-."

Han was cut off as they heard a _snap-hiss_. He, Luke, and Leia turned just quick enough to see the man they knew as Alex charge head on into the officers and clones that crowed around the doorway and into the room. The next thing they knew he was a blue blur as he deflected blaster bolts and cut people down left and right until the room was clear.

"Okay," he said brushing off his clothes and turning off his light saber. "Exit's clear now. Did you find Leia?"

The three younger adults gaped at him. Chewie growled something and pushed them along. Han got over his awe first.

"Remind me not to get on his bad side," Han muttered coming up behind him.

"Too late for that Solo," Anakin said walking out the detention bay. Han gulped. "Now let's get out of here."

Leia did a double take at him and said, "Alex? What are you doing here? Where's Pemé?"

Luke blinked running to keep you with the older man's long strides. "You know her?" he asked and when it was clear he wasn't going to say anything turned to Leia.

"How do you know Alex?" they both said to each other.

Han scowled. "We can discuss this later. Let's get back to the ship. I hope that old man disabled that tractor beam."

"I have full faith in Obi-Wan," Anakin replied. "He got it."

As they started down the hallway, Leia stopped and pulled on Luke's arm to go the other way.

"Wait!"

"Oh my God!" Han said and turned to her. "This better be good princess."

"We have to get to Pesinoé's quarters," she exclaimed

This threw all three men, along with their wookie friend, for a loop.

"What?" Luke and Anakin said together. Chewie growled.

"Say that again?" Han asked. "I belief my hearing just went bad."

"We have to go to Pesinoé's quarters," Leia repeated.

Han looked at her flabbergasted and said, "I think you were in that cell a little too long princess. You've lost it."

"Please," Leia said. "She took something of mine. It's the only thing I have left of my father. I have to go get it."

"How do you know she put it in her room? She might have tossed it," Han suggested.

Leia somehow knew Pesinoé hadn't 'tossed it' as Han put it. The woman seemed shocked to see the light saber when she grabbed it off Leia's person. She just couldn't shake the feeling that it was there. She didn't know how to explain it.

"Please! I can't explain it, but I know it's there," Leia pleaded.

Luke and Anakin looked at Han, then each other. They nodded and followed Leia in the opposite direction of the hanger. Han gaped and then groaned.

"We were actually about to get out of here, alive! Not in a body bag! You can't be serious!" Han yelled after them. Chewie growled something at him and then followed the three.

"Pesinoé's room. I swear, as if this wasn't already a suicide mission…" Han trailed off running after them. "Hell, this is beyond suicide."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Pesinoé knew the presence she was feeling. It had been many years since she had felt this presence. She stopped where she was in the hall. Suddenly she turned on her light saber and turned around to strike, startling her ladies. Her blade was met by another.

"Obi-Wan," she said. "It's been a while."

"Not long enough," he said calmly.

Pesinoé pulled her saber back and twirled it. "I'll take care of him," she said to the ladies in waiting. "Go find his friends. I know he's not here alone."

They bowed and ran gracefully down the hall to obey her. Pesinoé attacked first in typical sith fashion and Obi-Wan met her blade.

"I thought you had rotted on some back water planet by now," Pesinoé said as she back Obi-Wan down the hall.

"That's what you hoped," Obi-Wan replied and forced Pesinoé into a defensive fighting style.

"I stopped putting hope in anything after the jedi betrayed me. There's no need for hope. I make things happen by myself with the backing of the force," the sith lady declared striking down with her saber.

Obi-Wan blocked easily enough. Pesinoé's skills had improved since the last time he fought her, but he had a feeling she was holding back.

"I see your skills have sharpened. Twenty years ago you had to kill off the council by making them turn their backs," he reminded.

Pesinoé scoffed. "Don't even get started Obi-Wan. I did what I had to do."

"For what? Approval? To prove something to someone?"

"You know exactly what for. The jedi betrayed me," Pesinoé said casually. It was a simple truth in her mind.

"Did they betray you? Or did they disappoint you?"

"What's the difference?" Pesinoé snapped and began to gain the upper hand. "What's the matter old man? Has it been a while since you did this?"

Obi-Wan suddenly twirled and leapt over her. He landed behind her and aimed at her shoulder. Pesinoé didn't even turn around. She simply reached her arm behind her and met his blade with little effort.

Obi-Wan blinked. He hadn't seen that one before. When she turned around, he faltered. She was looking at him with a dry look, one he had seen on her when she was a teenager. She looked bored… That wasn't good.

"Is that all you got old man?" she asked and without waiting for a response said, "Let me show you how a real swords master fights."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Okay, so Pesinoé fights Obi-Wan, but don't worry, she and Anakin are going to have an encounter in this story, just not on the death star. You'll see.

And now, I'm thinking of starting another story and in it Padme dies and Ahsoka steals Leia and takes her to Vader. Vader sends them both to live on another planet away from the empire and so it's really for all you Anakin/Ahsoka fans out there, but since Anakin is Vader for most of the story, I'll put his name on the filter. They'll end up together, that much I'm sure of and I know Ahsoka will fight Obi-Wan eventually. But that's it. Just wanted to run that by you. Tell me what you think. I'll be putting it in my profile later too, the summary that is. The story itself isn't written. And I won't start until I finish the next third part to this series.

Alright that's it. Review please!


	7. Chapter 7

I can't stand my Microsoft word right now… Stupid thing said there were too many spelling errors and it would no longer keep track of them. It's not my fault the spell checker thinks star wars vocabulary is wrong…

Anyway. This is part two to the death star rescue. I rather enjoyed writing it. I couldn't decided whether or not I wanted Obi-Wan to die at first and so I didn't decide. I just wrote the story and the way it came out was the way it stayed. I hope you like it. I enjoyed writing it, that's for sure. Not much to say about it since this is really a continuation of the last chapter. Well there is one thing. Some of the reviewers were curious about the role of the ladies in waiting and while I tried with all my might to see how to fit it in this chapter. They don't play a significant;y huge role til the next story, although Pesinoe does kind of hit at it in one the next few chapters in her personal thoughts.

Thanks for all the reviews. I love reading your opinions and they help me improve the story when I need to. Read, enjoy, and review.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chapter Seven

"Come on," Leia said stopped in front of a door. "Here it is."

"How do we get in?" Luke asked.

Han pulled out his blaster. "Maybe this will work."

"Han no!" Luke exclaimed and Han groaned.

"Why?"

Anakin rolled his eyes as he stepped in front of the door. "This is a sith lady's room. There are probably all kinds of alarms ready to go off in case of a break in."

Instead, Anakin waved his hand over the keypad and the door slid open. He turned on the light and cautiously stepped inside. He nodded to the rest.

"No one in here right now, but I have a feeling that won't be for long," he said.

"We better hurry up then," Luke said going to the closet. "What exactly is it Leia?"

"It's a light saber and it's older than I am, from the days of the republic. It belonged to a jedi," Leia said.

"A light saber," Anakin said distracted. "Why would you have one?"

"I know it's silly," Leia said blushing a little. "But I never leave home without it, even though it could get me in a lot of trouble with the empire. My dad left it for me. That's what Pemé told me anyway."

Han who was searching through Darth Pesinoé's drawers lifted up a skimpy black outfit and whistled.

"I wonder who Pesinoé wore this for," he muttered.

Anakin glanced at what Han was holding up out the corner of his eye and suppressed the urge to destroy something. Even after all these years and numerous atrocities, he felt a little protective of his former student. The thought of her wearing that for anybody disturbed him a little more than it should have.

Leia rolled her eyes. "Believe me, from the intelligence report I heard, you probably don't want to know."

"Was it really that scandalous?" Han asked curiously.

"It was nothing like that. Get your head out of the gutter. Even I'll admit that Pesinoé is no whore," Leia snapped. "I meant it was very gruesome and gory. She was on a mission and had gone under cover to catch an imperial officer participating in an illegal sex trafficking ring. I don't know the details but I heard his death wasn't pretty."

"Still, I can't help but wonder how she looks in it."

"Han!"

"What?" Han asked. "She may be evil and cruel and I wouldn't want to be locked in a room with her, but that doesn't change the fact that she's one of the sexiest and gorgeous women in the galaxy."

Anakin sighed. Another reason not to like Han. He was obviously a womanizer. He started to 'warn' Han but his son beat him to it. Luke rolled his eyes, hit Han in the head, and snatched the outfit from Han as he finished searching through the otherwise empty drawers except for a few black outfits. Then Luke, wanting to know practically anything and everything that had to do with the jedi, curiously asked, "So we're looking for a light saber your dad gave you? Was he a jedi too?"

"I-." Leia was cut off by Han yelling, "Found it!"

Leia jumped and snatched it out his hands to inspect it. Anakin could only stare the weapon. He knew it well. She actually kept it to heart. He stepped to get a close look at the light saber that used to belong to his padawan.

"_I hate you!"_

Those were the last words she said to him. Anakin shook his head. No. Those were the last words Pesinoé had said to him. He couldn't remember the last thing Ahsoka had said to him. Her memory was tainted by Darth Pesinoé.

"Alright," Han said eagerly. "We got the damn light sword. Let's go!"

"It's a light saber," Leia snapped but headed out the door anyway.

Just as soon as they started down the hallway, their path was blocked by three women dressed in long black robes that were secured at the waist with thick black belts with silver buckles.

"Who are they?" Luke asked not sure if he wanted to know the answer.

Han openly gaped at them and said, "I don't know kid, but I do know one thing. They-."

Han never finished. If it was because Leia hit him or the women had lunged at them, Luke didn't know, and he didn't care. He ducked as one of the ladies flipped into the air over their head. They barely missed getting their heads knocked off by the long dagger she had taken out her sleeve.

"Oh sith!" Han said.

Anakin turned on his saber. "Han. Get Luke and Leia out of here. I'll hold them off."

Han grabbed Luke and Leia by an arm each and started to pull them down another hallway. They both struggled.

"What about you Alex?" Luke said.

"Forget about me. Go!"

"Chewie stay behind us just in case the kid and the princess get anymore brilliant suicidal ideas," Han ordered as they ran down the hallway.

"Don't worry," Luke said. "I've had enough suicidal missions to last a lifetime! I'm not volunteering to go on anymore any time soon."

"Thank-." Han skidded to a stop before they rounded a corner and turned back just in time to miss blaster bolts from storm troopers. "Perfect."

"Now what?" Luke asked. Leia grabbed his blaster and shot before moving back around the corner.

"Some rescue. I don't know who you are or where you're from but from now on, do what I say," she shot to Han.

"Well I think we were doing a pretty good job of rescuing you before you decided we had to go to a sith lady's room your worshipfulness," Han snapped and snatched the blaster from her. "Luke, take her highness and find another way to the hanger."

"What about you?" Luke said but Han had already rounded the corner.

Leia felt a mixture of amusement, impression, and exasperation. "Well he certainly has courage."

"What good will it do us if he gets himself killed? Come on!" Luke said and grabbed Leia's hand protectively almost dragging her the other way.

Leia ran to keep up with him. As they ran, she couldn't help but observe him closer. Was this the brother Pesinoé was talking about? It seemed logical. His last name was Skywalker. But it was so unbelievable. If this was true, why had they been separated? Why couldn't Bail have taken them both in to be raised together? They had already lost their parents.

Luke stop suddenly and Leia ran into him. He stumbled but kept them both from falling.

"What-?" Leia stopped as she saw the storm troopers they were behind. They hadn't seen them yet.

"Come on," Luke said slowly backing away. "Maybe we can get away down that other hall."

Leia had a feeling it wouldn't be that easy.

"Hey! There they are!" troopers said from behind them. "Get them!"

The other storm troopers turned around and Luke and Leia stood back to back.

"You're a jedi. Go get them," Leia whispered.

"I'm no jedi," Luke muttered.

"But you have a light saber," Leia snapped. "How can you not be a jedi?"

"I have a light saber for the same reason you have one," Luke replied wishing Han had at least left them a blaster.

"Ugh!" Leia groaned.

Luke bit his lip and then grinned. "I've got an idea."

"What?"

Leia didn't get a response as Luke grabbed her arm and charged for the storm troopers. They were so surprised and wary of what Luke was doing, they didn't even try to stop them as the two young adults ran past. Luke and Leia ran into Han and Chewie as they started to turn down the same hallway that led to the hanger.

"What kept you?" Han asked.

"Ran into some old friends," Luke said panting.

They heard running down the hall and looked down the hall.

"Get to the ship!" Anakin yelled.

"Why is he in such a rush?" Han asked dryly.

"I think they're why," Leia said seeing the ladies in waiting behind him. But Anakin had sure put a lot of distance between him and them.

"Come on!" Han said running to the ship. They wasted no time boarding it, especially when they saw no on was guarding it.

"Is the ship alright?" Luke asked.

"Seems fine. I just hope the old man got the tractor beam out of commission," Han muttered heading for the cockpit.

"Obi-Wan!" Anakin said running back down the ramp when Han mentioned his old master. They couldn't leave without him.

"Alex," Luke said following him.

"Luke," Leia yelled from the top of the ramp.

Anakin's eyes followed where all the troops and officers were running. There was a duel taking place between Pesinoé and Obi-Wan. If she weren't a sith lady and wasn't dueling Obi-Wan, Anakin would have been proud of how much she had improved. Obi-Wan wouldn't be able to keep up with her smooth, but rapid strokes for long. He already looked worn. He needed help.

"Luke!" Leia shouted grabbing his arm. She had just met her brother and if she was going to get away, she was taking him with her. "Come on!"

"Alex," Luke said resisting.

"Obi-Wan," Anakin yelled as he felt the danger in the force right as Pesinoé struck her opponent down.

Obi-Wan's body disappeared, surprising Anakin and Pesinoé. Pesinoé poked at the robes. What kind of Jedi trick was this?

"Obi-Wan!" Anakin yelled as he felt his friend's death through the force.

Pesinoé blinked as Anakin's force presence pierced through her soul. She looked up and the yellow in her eyes began to fade as her eyes met blue ones. Even across the distance, she could see the blue irises so clearly.

"Anakin," she muttered slowly, but her voice carried across the hanger through the force.

"Ahsoka," he said the same way.

"Alex come on," Luke said and Anakin snapped out of his trance. Luke. Leia. His children needed him. He couldn't do anything about Pesinoé right then.

He finally started back up the ramp, just as the Falcon's engines roared to life. Luke and Leia followed behind him as they took off.

Pesinoé was staring even as the door closed. Whatever she had been expecting when she saw her old master again, it hadn't been this. She didn't think she would feel something like that initially anyway. She felt something she had never felt in a long time, something besides hate. It wasn't love. She still had a score to settle with him and his entire family, but it definitely wasn't a dark emotion.

She growled at herself and cut the door down as she shook the ridiculous notion out her head. It wasn't anything but awe from seeing the man alive for after almost twenty years of him being under the radar. Nothing from intelligence reports, and nothing from the force either.

"Get that ship!" she ordered and ties flew out the hanger behind it. Dumb officers. Why hadn't they at least disabled the ship? Stupid officers. Pesinoé couldn't trust them with the simplest things.

"Tarkin," she said storming to him. She stopped in front of him and suppressed a smirk at the cut on his face. "Why didn't your men disable the ship?"

"Relax milady," Tarkin said annoyed. "They did just what we expected. They'll lead us right to the rebellion. There's a tracker on the freighter."

To be quite honest, Pesinoé didn't care about the rebellion. She cared that Skywalker had gotten away with the princess, his daughter. Pesinoé should have killed the girl when she had the chance. She would have done it as soon as she struck Obi-Wan down if it weren't for Skywalker. Some way or another, he was always the reason for her failures.

Pesinoé sighed as she let her anger and hate consume her, taking her deeper into the dark side of the force. But she never lost control. She'd need it when she reported to the Emperor. She had a feeling their conversation wouldn't be pleasant.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

When they were safely in hyperspace, Leia allowed herself to relax a little and her thoughts went back to everything Pesinoé had revealed to her. Luke sat across from her staring at Alex in concern. The middle aged man was quiet and solemn. She didn't know how he knew Obi-Wan, but he looked like he needed someone to talk to.

"Alex," Leia said softly.

Anakin turned to look at Leia. It was probably the first good look at her he had gotten that day and only the second time they had met. The last time he had seen her, they were on Alderaan and she was thrilled to be meeting her 'caretaker's husband'. He knew somewhere in the back of her mind, Leia knew who they were. She had taken an instant liking to him and ran to hug him when he landed as though he was an old friend. Bail hadn't minded. He was glad Leia was meeting her real father, even though she hadn't known it.

Leia had grown up since he had last seen her. She had only been fourteen. Now she was eighteen, practically a woman now and one of the youngest senators on Alderaan… Well, there was no Alderaan left to be represented except maybe a few refugees who were lucky enough not to be on the planet at the time of its destruction.

She was so much like Padmé…

"Yes Leia?" he finally said

"Are you okay? I don't know what kind of relationship you had with Obi-Wan, and I'm sorry he died, but…" Leia paused. "You're going to be okay. Aren't you?"

Anakin turned away from her again. "I'll be fine."

"How did you know him anyway?" Luke asked. "You never told me."

"You never asked," Anakin said with a small smile. "He was my jedi master."

This reminded Leia… "I didn't know you were a jedi. Wait a minute! Jedi don't marry. You have Pemé… Pemé. She wasn't on Alderaan was she?"

Anakin shook his head. "She's fine. She's on the rebel base with Luke's aunt and uncle. And Luke just so happens to be proof that not all jedi believe in that rule."

That reminded Leia of something. She was going to ask Obi-Wan, but now Alex was the only person that could confirm or disprove what Pesinoé had told her.

"Alex… I don't know how well you knew Luke's father, but…" Leia trailed off and Anakin narrowed his eyes a little in caution.

"What?" he urged.

"Was Luke the only child Anakin Skywalker had?" she asked slowly. Luke looked at her in surprise shaking his head.

"I don't have any siblings," he said.

Anakin leaned back. She knew something, but who could have… Anakin paled. Darth Pesinoé had figured it out.

"What did she tell you?"

Leia looked at him coyly. "So you do know?"

Anakin sighed. "Before I do this, I just want you to know that when your parents gave you up, they were doing it to protect you. Your father was a jedi and the empire was after them."

"But they got to them anyway?" Leia asked. "Pesinoé said they didn't die in a ship accident like everyone thinks."

"No," Anakin said. "They didn't."

"She killed them. Didn't she," Leia asked.

Anakin hesitated. It wouldn't be a complete lie, but he didn't want to reveal everything until he talked to Padmé about it.

"Yes," he said.

Luke looked between Leia and Anakin. He was missing something.

"Wait. What are you talking about?"

Anakin sighed. "Luke. Leia is your sister, your twin sister."

Luke's eyes widened as he looked over at the princess. No wonder she seemed so familiar to him. He hadn't been able to place it, but he had known there was something about her. However, Leia didn't seem surprised.

"You've known about this! How come I'm just now finding out?" he snapped in anger.

"It's not her fault," Anakin said standing up to pace. "She just found out too. I'm guessing Pesinoé told you."

"Yes. She saw my light saber," Leia said now fiddling with it in his hands.

Anakin stopped pacing as he looked at it. He hadn't seen it in a long time. He hadn't even thought about the person who used to wield it in about that long. It was easier just to forget about her than think about the person she had become.

"Can I see it?" he asked softly.

Leia grasped it a little tighter. "Why?"

"I promise. I won't do anything to it," Anakin assured. "I know it's the last thing your father left you."

Luke then looked at the saber himself. "Wait. Our father left her a light saber too? He had two?"

Anakin shook his head as he inspected the weapon. He could still feel the presence of his former padawan in it. "No. He never had two light sabers at one time. The light saber you have Luke was your father's."

Leia frowned. "Then whose is this?" she asked.

"You have to keep in mind Leia that this light saber was very special to your father and he wouldn't want you to throw it away for what I'm about to tell you."

Leia steeled herself. "Is it really that bad?"

"It used to belong to his padawan. The only padawan he had."

Luke's eyes widened. Leia looked at him and shook her head. "I don't get it. Why would that change how much I value it?"

"Because Leia," Luke started glaring at the weapon. "Our father's padawan became Darth Pesinoé."

Leia looked at the weapon Anakin was holding and then back at him. Her jaw set and Anakin mentally cursed. He knew that look. It seemed she had inherited his tendency to let his emotions get the best of them.

"Leia," he said slowly approaching her. "Keep an open mind. Your father knew exactly what this was when he left it for you and it had nothing to do with Darth Pesinoé."

"I don't care," she snapped. "You can keep it. I don't want it anymore."

"You better be joking," Luke said gaping at her. "You dragged us all the way to Darth Pesinoé's room, probably the equivalent of sith hell, to get that."

"I should have left it there," Leia snapped starting to leave.

Anakin now knew how Obi-Wan and Padmé sometimes felt about him. He was probably just as stubborn and unforgiving at that age. But what Leia didn't know was that she was dealing with someone that was just like her and had been that way for far longer than she had. She couldn't beat his will.

Anakin grabbed her arm earning a yelp from Leia. He sat her back down and shoved the light saber in her face.

"Do you know why your father left you this?" he asked.

"Well considering who it used to belong to, I'm guessing it was easier to let me have so he wouldn't have to see it," Leia snapped.

"No," Anakin said and began to pace slowly again. "You father left you this because he loved the person that used to wield it. This weapon never belonged to Darth Pesinoé. She may have used it because it was the only thing she had at the time, but it always belonged and still does belong to his padawan. In this very light saber is the memory of the great person she was not a reminder of the person she became."

Leia stared at the saber. When Alex put it that way, it made sense and if it hadn't meant anything to her father, she doubted he would have left it for her. There had to be something about it that he treasured and perhaps Alex was right. Maybe it did ease his pain over Darth Pesinoé.

Alex then spoke in a softer tone and lit the saber. "It's blue."

"What's that mean?" Leia asked.

"It means this was the weapon of a jedi. It could have never belonged to a sith," Alex declared, turning it off. He put it in her hand.

Leia sighed. It would take a while to wrap her mind around what Alex said it had meant to her father. Something else then occurred to her. However, Luke beat her to the question.

"Who was she?" he asked.

Anakin looked at Luke. "What do you mean? She was a jedi."

"I get that, but no one's ever said her name, the person she used to be." Luke said curiously.

Anakin sat down. Until today he hadn't spoken that name aloud in almost twenty years. He stared off into space and Luke and Leia glanced at each other.

Finally he said, "Ahsoka."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I know what everyone wants. You want Luke and Leia to find out that Anakin and Padmé are alive don't you. Well. You'll get your answer in your next chapter and yes, Obi-Wan died. But I figure that over the years, Pesinoé has had a lot of practice in handling her light saber and Obi-Wan been sitting on Tatooine all this time. I'm pretty sure she's surpassed him by now, even without the fact that she turned. It just seemed logical to me. I really contemplated letting him live, but then I had to think about how it would affect the rest of the story. What would I do with him? I couldn't figure it out, so I thought it best to just let him die like he did in the movie. Also, in the original movie, letting the falcon go was Vader's idea, but in here I let Tarkin come up with it.

The next chapter explains why Anakin hasn't told Luke and Leia the whole truth. I was pissed off about it and I'm the writer. But oh well. I hope you enjoyed. Review please!


	8. Chapter 8

Not much to say about this chapter except that I'm so thrilled you liked the last chapter. Don't worry. Anakin and Pesinoé/Ahsoka will talk and have a little fight, but not the way you expect. The jedi council makes an appearance in this chapter and we all know if it has something to do with them, Anakin isn't going to like it. I can't say more without giving it away, so here it is. Read, enjoy, and review.

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Chapter Eight

Later, when Anakin had gotten over his dismay and surprise at Obi-Wan dying, it occurred to him that they got away too easy. He let out a long string of curses in huttese.

"What's wrong Alex?" Luke asked from where he was sitting with Leia.

Anakin nearly forgot about what he was cursing at when he looked at them. Since he had revealed that they were twins, the two had been even more fascinated with each other than they were before. He had sensed the curiosity they had about each other on the death star. Subconsciously, they had known all along.

He went back to the pressing issue though. "Did you notice that it almost seemed like we got away from the death star a little too easy?"

Han, who walked into the room at that moment, laughed. "Easy! We were nearly taken out by imperial ties! Darth Pesinoé's ladies darn near tried to kill us and you tell me we got out easy!"

"They didn't put in as much effort as they should have. I noticed they were making careless mistakes. Darth Pesinoé is a stickler for order, perfection and discipline. Even though the death star wasn't under her jurisdiction, I'm positive she made herself boss as soon as she walked on board," Anakin replied.

Leia rolled her eyes. "You're right. Tarkin wasn't particularly pleased with that. They were at each other from the time I was brought on board. Pesinoé didn't even stop me when I tried to beat Tarkin to a pulp."

Luke laughed and looked at her. "You're serious!"

Leia blushed. "Well what do you expect? He had just destroyed my home planet…"

Anakin put an arm around her shoulder and squeezed her to him. "I promise you. Tarkin will see justice for his crimes."

"Thank you," Leia said grateful. "But this isn't about me. I agree with you, the security was slackened substantially. We're being tracked."

"Not this ship sister," Han said dryly in disbelief.

Leia glared at him before turning back to Anakin. "Well, at least the information in Artoo is still intact."

"What so important about that droid anyway?" Han asked.

"The plans to the death star are in it. Leia thinks that the rebellion might be able to analyze it and find a weakness," Luke replied before his sister could reply. Han and Leia had been at each other since they took Leia out her cell.

"Yes. It's not over yet," Leia added determined.

"Well it is for me sweetheart. I aint in this for no revolution or for you Princess. I expect to be well paid. I'm in it for the money," Han shot.

Anakin glared at Han. He really wanted to choke the man right then. He sighed. Force choking was an attack of the dark side supposedly. Frankly, Anakin didn't see how. If that was the case, it could be said that killing anyone at all was an act of the dark side. He had been doing it to scare Han back on the death star and in the catina on Tatooine, but now he was seriously contemplating doing it again till the man stopped breathing.

"You needn't worry about your reward," Leia shot infuriated. "If money is all you love, then that's what you'll receive."

Leia stormed out of the room to another part of the ship and Anakin smiled. Way to put the pirate in his place… To Anakin's dismay however, Han seemed not to be bothered. In fact, he was relishing in it.

"So what do you really think about my sister?" Luke asked giving the man a pointed look.

"Your sister!" Han exclaimed. He shook his head. "Forget it. I don't even what to know. As for what I think about her… I'm trying not to kid."

"Good," Anakin muttered glaring at the man.

"Still, she's got a lot of spirit. I don't know. What do you think? Do you think a princess and a guy like me-?'

"No," Anakin snapped before Han could finish and pointed at Han warningly. "If you even think about her in that kind of way, let alone try to go after her, I swear I'll-." Anakin finished in huttese and Luke gaped in shock. Would he really do something that drastic?

Han rolled his eyes. "You're not her father. As far as I know he's dead. What can you do about it?"

Anakin glared at him and Han swore her felt a little pressure on his neck. He rubbed his neck and looked at the older man warily. Maybe he should back off…

"I may be a jedi Captain Solo, but back when there was a jedi temple I was practically infamous for my impatience. I've grown more patient with age but please, don't tempt it," Anakin warned. "As for her father, I knew him very well and I'm quite sure he wouldn't want you anywhere near his daughter."

Anakin walked out the room in a similar manner to Leia and Han felt the pressure on his neck go away.

"I don't get it," Han said. "What have I ever done to him?"

Luke shrugged and then said, "Well you are a pirate. That's enough for him I guess."

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Anakin had gone to meditate after leaving Han and Luke. He had a feeling his not telling Luke and Leia who he was immediately had more to do with something else than just wanting to talk to Padmé about it. Meditating still wasn't something he was good at but he did it when something was bothering him. Soon he felt like he was leaving, traveling somewhere in his meditative state. He opened his eyes, but when he opened them, he wasn't in a room in the back of the piece of junk for a ship called the falcon. It was familiar and Anakin instantly knew where he was. It was the jedi council room.

He groaned. Even whit the temple was destroyed and the council dead, they found a way to call him to them. What did they have to do with things that went on in the world of the living?

"Knight Skywalker," Yoda greeted as he and the rest of the old council appeared in the room. Anakin masked his surprise at seeing Yoda. As far as he knew, the man was still in hiding somewhere.

"Masters," Anakin bowed his head in respect.

"Before we start," Mace began. "We must inform you. You may not like what we have to tell you."

From behind him, Anakin heard someone snort. He turned around in time to catch Obi-Wan, who he had just seen die a few hours ago, roll his eyes.

"Obi-Wan," he said feeling better about his death suddenly. At least he was with the force.

"Anakin," he nodded and then added, "Master Windu is mistaken. You will definitely not like what we have to say."

Anakin narrowed his eyes.

"What?"

"We sense a lot of conflicting emotions inside you Knight Skywalker and lately it's like you're teetering dangerously on the edge of dark and light," Mace explained.

"How is that?" Anakin asked.

"Not fully accepted you former padawan's turn, you have. Confused you are," Yoda pointed out, and Anakin resisted the urge to sigh.

"What does that have to do with the dark side? I'm still a jedi," Anakin said.

"A jedi using dark side techniques," Fisto pointed out.

"Is this about the force choke thing?" Anakin asked dryly. "What's so dark about it? And it's not like I was using it for malicious intent. That stupid captain was getting on my nerves is all."

"Still, it was a dark side technique and your reason wasn't justifiable," Mundi pointed out.

Anakin sighed again. He was willing to admit to himself that his thoughts had strayed into darker territory in light of everything that was going on, but they were harmless, right? He flinched. Ahsoka's petty jealousy problem was harmless at first too.

"That leads us into what we brought you here for," Mace began and Anakin felt he would not like this. "For their own safety, we do not think it would be wise for you to tell you children who you and Padmé are."

Anakin felt his temper flare. "What? Why?"

"In light of your confusion and anger issues, think we do not, that have a good influence on them, you will have. Taint them you will, with your conflicting emotions," Yoda explained.

"That's ridiculous. You're going to deny me my children because of my weaknesses?" Anakin asked hotly. "You have no right."

"This is far from denying you your children Skywalker," Fisto pointed out. "We did contemplate asking you and your wife to leave completely."

"I still don't understand why though. This is ridiculous," Anakin said beginning to pace.

"You don't truly believe Pesinoé is evil do you?" Mace asked bluntly.

Anakin began to speak, but didn't know what to say. He sighed. There was no use denying it, but he wasn't going to admit it either.

"We understand that, Anakin," Shaak-Ti said. "But the only hope for the jedi is that the emperor and Darth Pesinoé be destroyed and if you won't do it, then Luke and Leia will have to and if they sense your reluctance, their own father, they too will forget her atrocities and grant her the same mercy you shouldn't have granted her when you fought her on Mustafar."

"And look where that got the galaxy," Fisto muttered. "Another reason why attachment was forbidden."

Anakin ignored the last comment. That, his opinions on attachment that is, was a battle for another day. However, they were right. If he wasn't going to destroy the sith and so long as it was Ahsoka, he wouldn't, someone had to and Luke and Leia were the only ones left to do it. Leia and Ahsoka's light saber were proof of the influence he had on them, even though the twins didn't know it.

"Alright. I'll give you that. But that still doesn't explain why they can't at least know Padmé. They're the only children she'll ever have," Anakin shot. Somehow, he knew in the end that this wasn't going to end well for him, but he was going to fight until the end.

"She's your wife. It wouldn't take much for the twins to put two and two together," Mace pointed out.

Despite being in the presence of the council, Anakin began to curse under his breath, resorting to being angry despite his sadness. He didn't mind the council seeing him angry, but he would not let them see him hurt by this. Who said he had to listen to them anyway. He wasn't supposed to marry Padmé after all.

He took deep calming breaths and felt the force wrap around him in comfort. It wasn't necessarily in agreement of the council's decision, but it was letting it be. It would all work out on its own eventually. It was telling him not to fight this right now.

"Fine. Luke and Leia will remain ignorant of Anakin and Padmé Skywalker's existence but that's all. I will not distance myself from them further than that," Anakin relented mentally cursing the entire council to sith hell.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan said and the chosen one looked up. "Before you go, just know that I did not agree with this."

"I know Obi-Wan. I know," Anakin muttered as he felt himself being pulled out of the force and the meditative trance.

He opened his eyes. He was back on the Falcon. He gripped balled his mechanical fist up tight, threatened to ruin the prosthetic. Anakin unballed his fist and groaned. Everything in the room, which wasn't much except a bed and the lights, were crushed in his anger. Knowing that it would not be good for him to be around Luke and Leia like this (he really didn't need the council summoning them back because he had lost his temper and endangered them with him around), he locked the door and sat on the disfigured cot while releasing his anger into the force.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Luke didn't know what he was expecting when he came down the ramp of the millennium falcon and stepped foot on the rebel base for the first time. He felt kind of odd to tell the truth. He hung back with Han as Leia was greeted by some of the rebellion leaders.

"We heard about Alderaan," one said. "We thought we may have lost you, along with your father.

"We don't have time for sorrows commander. I believe the empire has tracked us here," Leia replied and then looked next to her. She frowned and turned to look at Luke.

"What are you doing Luke?" she asked.

Luke shrugged. "You seemed to be a little busy and I'm kind of overwhelmed right now."

Leia went to Luke and pulled him away from Han.

"Come on," she said smiling and bringing him before the rebel leaders. "Luke, this is Mon Mothma one of the leaders of the rebellion. Mon, this is my brother Luke Skywalker."

Mon looked startled and simply stared in shock. "Skywalker?"

"Yes ma'am," Luke said.

"As in Anakin Skywalker?" Mon asked.

"Yeah. That's my father," Luke said.

Mon then looked at Leia. "So that means, you're his daughter. Twins?" she asked.

"Yes Mon. It's a long story. One we'll talk about later. Right now, we need to get the death star plans off of Artoo. I fear we don't have a lot of time to waste," Leia said.

"You're right Princess," Mon Mothman said. "I'll take the droids. I'm sure you've been through a lot. Besides, someone is anxiously waiting for you. I'll show you to her room."

Leia followed Mon and Anakin went behind them. Luke started to go with them before turning around to Han and Chewie.

"Since you're here, you may as well come with us. You don't have anything else to do," Luke said pointedly.

Luke wasn't sure where Leia and Alex had gone but he let his feelings guide his feet. When he got in the doorway she saw Leia being hugged tightly by Pemé.

"Oh Leia," Padmé muttered. "I was so worried about you, especially when I heard about Alderaan."

"I was on the death star when it happened. They made me watch," Leia muttered.

"They made you watch that? Oh you poor child," Padmé said holding her by the shoulders. "After your ordeal you probably need some rest. To relax a little."

"There's no time for the Pemé. I believe we've been tracked here. The death star will be here soon," Leia replied.

"Still. I insist that you-." She stopped when her eyes landed on Luke.

Leia looked at him and ushered him over.

"Pemé. This is Luke. He's my-."

"Brother," Padmé said holding back tears. The last time the twins had been in the same place with each other had been when they were only days old, not even old enough to remember. She had dreamed of the day when the two would find each other, but it seemed so unreal after so long.

Leia frowned. "You knew too?"

Padmé looked at Anakin. Just how much did they know?

"Oh course she knew Leia," Anakin replied. "In fact, Pemé was very close to your mother. She used to act as her decoy."

Leia and Luke looked at Padmé. "Really?"

Padmé nodded. "I worked for her when she was queen and the senator. Oh Leia. You look just like her and Luke, you look just like your father. They would have been so proud of you."

Luke and Leia beamed. Padmé gestured to the couch. "Come sit down. I know this is all very sudden."

"Yeah," Luke admitted. "But somehow I always knew there was something missing."

"You did too?" Leia asked.

Luke nodded. "I would stay up at night sometimes because I couldn't sleep. I would feel so lonely sometimes, like someone was missing. I use to look at the stars and want to fly away to find them."

Leia smiled. "I always thought there was someone across the galaxy feeling the same way."

"Obi-Wan told me that kind of connection is very common among force twins. They always tend to find each other whether they know each other or not. I knew a pair of force twins, sisters, at the temple. They were from some planet where the humans are very agile have very keen senses, so you can just imagine what being force sensitive was like for them. From the time they were babies, they were inseparable even though they had no conscious idea they were related," Anakin replied.

"Why didn't they know?" Luke asked and Anakin's face hardened.

"Now isn't the time to explain that," Anakin said.

"Wait. Where is Obi-Wan?" Padmé asked slowly.

Anakin looked away and Luke and Leia looked down.

"He's gone Pemé," Anakin replied and Padm'e gasped.

"What? When?"

Leia sighed. "It was Darth Pesinoé."

Padmé looked at Anakin and then turned to Luke and Leia. "Would you all mind if we had a moment alone?"

Luke and Leia excused themselves from the room with Luke saying something that sound to Padmé like. "Where's Han?" She didn't care though as she looked at her husband. Anakin was bothered, even though he was doing a good job of hiding it. She could put her finger on what it was until they told her about Obi-Wan and Darth Pesinoé.

"Anakin, I'm sorry." Padmé said.

Anakin sighed. "It's alright."

"No. It's not and you know it."

Anakin shrugged. "It's just been so long Padmé. This is the first time in eighteen years that I looked in her face. It would be so much easier to do that if she hadn't been my friend. But every time I look at her, I can't help but remember who she used to be. So her killing Obi-Wan was almost as shocking as her killing the younglings all those years ago. I never really accepted it."

"I don't think any of us did Ani," Padmé said. "Obi-Wan may have told you that you needed to but I bet he was having just as hard a time as you were."

Anakin nodded. "I guess and then Leia's light saber."

Padmé smiled. "You mean the one you told me to give her? She's treasured it since she was ten. Never goes anywhere without it."

Anakin sighed. "I told her where it came from. I told her who it belonged to. It felt wrong not to tell her."

"Speaking of that. Exactly what did you tell them?"

"If you mean did I tell them that we're their parents, I didn't. I wanted to talk with you about it first," Anakin said.

"And what do you think?"

Anakin sighed. "I was going to tell them everything Padmé. I was going to tell them why we couldn't be there directly and everything as it happened, but the council doesn't agree."

"The council," Padmé asked frowning. "What do they have to do with this?"

Anakin proceeded to explain what the council told him, holding back his anger for Padmé's sake.

When he was finished, all Padmé could mange was, "Oh."

Anakin sensed her distress and added, "It could have been worse though. At first they wanted us to distance ourselves completely. Leave and go somewhere far away from them. They just don't understand Padmé and the more I think about it, the more I wonder if I want Luke and Leia to be a part of something that knows no compassion like that."

Padmé nodded and looked down on the bed. Anakin sensed her sadness and sat next to her pulling her in his arms.

"What is it?"

"It's just that-." Padmé bit back a sob.

"Padmé."

"This is the first time in eighteen years that we've all been in the same place together and they still don't know me. I wanted so badly to rush to Luke and hug him. I've felt that way every time I saw him but I knew I couldn't."

"You'll get the chance to angel. I promise," he said.

Padmé pulled away and crossed her arms as she tried to hold back the tears. "But I've already missed so much. And there's this hole in my heart Ani. Knowing that they're the only children I'll ever have. That in all these years I've never been called mother and I'll never have another chance to."

Anakin sighed. So _that's_ what this was about. Padmé acted like she was alright with it when she heard, but maybe that was because Luke and Leia had just been born and she was concentrating on being their mother for the brief time that she could. However, it came out later that it really bothered her than she couldn't have any more children. It had been really hard the first couple of years. It was like she felt like she was less of a woman because she couldn't have anymore. She had gone to all types of doctors to see if there was any way to heal the damage but nothing had worked. In the last few years she had grown to accept it, but it still bothered her.

Sure Anakin had been hurt by Darth Pesinoé, but the sith lady had hurt Padmé in a way that was worse than how she had hurt him.

"Come here angel," he said and pulled her to him to comfort her.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yeah. I thought the council might do something like that and I knew Anakin wouldn't listen if he felt the force told him otherwise. So I put the force thing in. Believe me. It's going to fall into place later. The council would be stuck in their ways if you ask me and it's not that they're bad, but they've been doing to same thing for the last thousand years and you can't teach an old dog new tricks. And I know it would seem like Mon and some of the other senators might recognize Anakin and Padme, but really. Padme had a bunch of handmaidens who looked just like her and Anakin has the force, so I'm sure if he didn't want anyone to know who he was, he could manage it so I don't see it as a problem. Hope you liked that. This chapter just went to show that even after all Pesinoe did, he can't let her go. I hope you enjoyed. Now I've got to work on a research paper. Review please!


	9. Chapter 9

Okay. In this chapter, we find out what happened to a few of the younglings that got away from the temple. As the series progressed, some of them will be making cameos. Two make an appearance in here, but I don't plan on making them important to the story. I just thought some of you might be curious to know what happened to some of them. I don't really have much to say. I just hope you like it. Read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chapter Nine

Luke and Leia found Han and Chewie in the hanger with two lithe and tone girls who were leaning on a pile of boxes. On had long silvery white hair and the other black, but other than that the two looked exactly alike.

Leia rolled her eyes. It figured Han would somehow find himself in the company of two beautiful women. The three were laughing at something.

"Hello Han," Leia said interrupting them.

Han rolled his eyes. "Your worshipfulness."

Leia glared and then turned to the two woman. "I hope Han wasn't bothering you," she said.

The black haired woman laughed. "Not at all. He's an old friend. We haven't seen him in years though."

"Well," Leia asked frowning. "Are you going to introduce us?"

Han sighed and gestured casually to the two woman. "Luke, Leia, this is Kat and Kitty. Kat and Kitty, this is Luke and Leia."

"My name is Rashina," the black haired one said.

"My name is Tashina," the other woman said glaring at Han.

"Whatever," Han replied. "I still say you're Kat and Kitty. I been calling you all that since we met."

"Don't remind us," Rashina replied looking at Luke and Leia strangely.

Luke noticed, but Leia was so concerned about how Han knew them, she didn't care.

"How do you know them?" she asked.

"These two are the best damn smugglers the galaxy has ever seen," Han replied with a grin..

"They're smugglers?" Leia asked shocked.

Tashina laughed. "That's just our cover up. We actually free slaves in the outer rim. It's easier to do that when the huts think you're just as dirty, careless, and badass like all the other scum of the galaxy."

"That's awesome," Luke said. "So how many slaves have you freed?"

Rashina shrugged. "More than you can count. We've been doing it since we were thirteen."

Luke's jaw dropped and Leia blinked in surprise. "That young?"

Rashina nodded. "We had nothing better to do. We hopped from place to place on Corellia for a while and then got a ship and decided to do something useful. We met this scoundrel as he was on his way to join the Imperial Academy. Told him he wouldn't last. He should have come with us."

"Wait? What about your parents?" Luke asked.

Tashina shrugged. "Never knew 'em. We…" They looked around. "Don't tell this to anyone but we used to live in the jedi temple before it the purges. A jedi master got us away, and we've been on our own ever since."

"You're jedi too?" Han asked rolling his eyes. "I've met enough of them in one day. Is that why you all can do all those gravity defying flips and twist and running and stuff? Because of your hokey religion?"

Rashina and Tashina glared saying together, "You must have forgotten what happened the last time you insulted us."

Han blushed and Rashina rolled her eyes.

"We weren't jedi yet. We were training to be jedi," she snapped and picked up a box to put on her ship. "And we told you. We're not really human. All our kind can do that kind of stuff. We can just do it a little better."

Tashina sighed as Rashina walked away. "Don't mind her. The purges are a very sensitive subject for both of us but for her more. That day was the most horrifying day of our lives. We were some of the few that made it out the temple, and there weren't many jedi to begin with."

"That's the jedi's own fault. Personally, I'm glad we're not there. The council probably would have done everything to keep us from forming an attachment," Rashina snapped.

"Attachment," Luke said and searched for a word. "You're, you two-."

"Spit it out kid," Han snapped.

"I don't want to offend them or think I've got a problem," Luke said sheepishly.

"We're sisters. Why would be offended," Rashina asked glaring, and then it dawn on her. She rolled her eyes. "Really kid. We're not gay."

"Well that's what it sounded like," Luke replied.

Rashina groaned and muttered curses in another language as she continued to load the ship.

"Sometimes Ra doesn't know what to feel about it. Jedi weren't allowed to have families and sibling usually didn't know they were related. We happened to be force twins," Tashina replied and then continued. "We had a connection from birth that not even the jedi could break by not telling us. We found each other anyway and once we found each other, no one was keeping us apart."

Tashina looked at Luke and Leia. "You're force twins too," she stated.

"How'd you know?" Leia asked.

"We never completed our training but we were taught enough to know how to use the living force. I can tell. You're just like us. Force sensitives aren't as rare as everyone thinks. The jedi were just too selective about who they chose," Tashina said. "But force twins, we're a rare find. We live a long time too. Don't ever let anything drive you apart though. It'll be the death of you."

"Come on Tashina. We got to take this stuff and then get some other supplies for the rebellion," Rashina was saying.

"I'm coming," Tashina yelled and started up the ramp. "May the force be with you Skywalker twins."

Han blinked and then rolled his eyes. "Well that was weird. They practically poured their hearts out to you. I didn't know most of that stuff."

Luke shrugged and then turned to Leia. "So now what?"

"What are you talking about?" Leia asked.

"Well apparently I'm not going back to Tatooine anytime soon. So what do I do?"

"All I know is that we're going to need some good pilots for whatever plan we come up with against the death star," Leia replied and Luke's face brightened.

"You think they'll let a new recruit do something like that?"

"Believe me Luke," Leia said. "We need all the help we can get. We could probably use you too Han," she added as an afterthought.

"No way princess. You aint roping me into this. As soon as I have my reward money, I'm out of here," Han replied.

Leia fumed. "Somehow I'm not surprised. Money is all a slimy nerf herder like you would care about."

Han started to say something but Chewie growled a comment before rolling his eyes.

"Don't be ridiculous you. Of course not. As soon as I get this money I'm headed right back to Tatooine to pay off Jabba," Han said and Luke gasped.

"What is it kid?"

"My aunt and uncle," he said dryly barely reigning in on his anger. "I forgot about them."

Leia frowned. "They're here?" she asked.

"Yeah and they're my guardians," Luke muttered.

"Well you don't sound so enthusiastic," Han commented.

Luke muttered something under his breath as he stalked off to find Pemé. She had brought them here so of course she would know where they were. And when he found them, they had a lot of explaining to do.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I'm not going back to Tatooine," Luke declared calmly sometime later. "You can't make me."

Owen glared hotly at the teenager and Beru sighed. It wasn't Luke's fault that he and his uncle didn't see eye to eye. Anakin and his father didn't see eye to eye. It was only natural. Beru couldn't help but think though that Luke had gotten many of his mannerisms from his mother. While Anakin probably would have been trying to hold his temper in check-and failed to do so by this point-at that age, Luke calmly stated his decision and hadn't backed down from it.

"You're not telling me you're going to go along with all this, trying to fight the empire. It's what got your parents in trouble. It's why they're not in your life right now. If they had just stayed on Tatooine where they belonged-."

"It's people like out parents who keep the galaxy from falling apart in times of trouble. If all good honest people stayed where they 'belonged' the galaxy would be in chaos," Luke replied glaring at his uncle just daring him to tell him he was going back to Tatooine again.

"And look what good it did," Owen snapped.

Luke didn't reply for a moment and then said "So now what? You're just going to go back to Tatooine again? Uncle Owen, Darth Pesinoé knows you're there. It's too dangerous. She'll go back and kill you. She hated my father."

Owen scowled and muttered, "That's not what I heard."

Luke frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Beru sighed. "This isn't the time to bring that up Owen," she said and turned to Luke. "Are you sure this is what you want to do?"

"Of course. I wouldn't be this… defiant if I wasn't sure. I've always known I was meant to be more than just a farmer. I can't explain it Aunt Beru but… this just feels right," Luke replied.

Beru nodded. "Okay then."

"And you wouldn't have to worry about me," Luke assured. "Alex and Pemé are probably going to stay here and I just met Leia. I can't just leave her after I just found her."

"Leia," Beru muttered. Where did she know that name from?

"Yeah. She's my sister," Luke replied and that just set Owne off even more.

"You don't really believe that load of lies?" he asked harshly.

"It's the truth!" Luke snapped standing up. "And if you can't deal with it. So be it. Go back to Tatooine. I'm staying with the rebellion."

"Fine. We weren't really related by blood anyway," Owen said and grabbed Beru's arm. "Come on."

Beru pulled her arm out his grasp and grabbed Luke's face to kiss his forehead. She grabbed his hand.

"Good-bye Luke. Take care of yourself," she said and followed her husband.

Anakin who was standing a ways off frowned as he saw Luke sigh and then leave the cafeteria. What was his step brother thinking? He couldn't expect Luke to go back to Tatooine. It was illogical. The empire would surely find him now if he went back. Luke wanted to stay with his sister and fight in the rebellion sure. But he was also being sensible about the matter, more than Owen was in any case.

Anakin ran in the direction Owen was going with Beru.

"Owen," he yelled using the force to enhance his speed so he would catch up with them.

"What?" Owen said without stopping.

"What are you doing?" Anakin asked.

Owen looked at him. "Thinking sensibly. You wanted to protect Luke from the empire but now he's going to be in the heat of it with this rebellion. Don't tell me you approve."

Anakin sighed. Why did his brother have to be so difficult?

"The point of hiding him was to protect him while he was helpless, so that one day he would have a chance when he was forced into it. He can't be hidden forever. Padmé and I knew that. It's time. The force wills it," Anakin explained and Owen rolled his eyes.

"The force. Is that all you talk about. I'm not talking about letting some invisible energy force that you jedi can tune into guiding you. I'm talking about using our heads here. How long do you think Luke will last here?"

"Longer than on Tatooine!" Anakin replied. "The empire knows we were there."

"The empire knows or Darth Pesinoé?" Owen shot and Anakin resisted the urge to choke him. He owed his step brother for taking Luke in when it was too dangerous for him and Padmé to raise him.

He released his frustration through the force and continued, "They're probably monitoring every ship in and out of Tatooine looking for one of us to go back. Luke's the one being sensible. If you go back there, there's no guarantee you'll live."

"Like you said, it's you and your so-called children they're looking for. Not us," Owen said and left. Beru gave Anakin a sympathetic look before following her husband.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Luke watched intently as Dodonna explained the mechanics of the death star. The only hope for destroying it was was a small one man fighter getting through the defense and maneuvering down a trench to get close enough to his a reactor. The target was only two meters wide, but Luke didn't see the problem with it. He had done things like this plenty of times on Tatooine. The only difference would be he would be in the middle of a battle zone.

"Only a precise hit will set a chain reaction. The shaft is ray shielded so you'll have to use proton torpedoes," Dodonna added.

"That's impossible," said Wedge. "Even for a computer."

Luke who was next to him shook his head. "It's not impossible. I use to bull's eye womprats in my T-sixteen back home. They're not much bigger than two meters."

Dodonna nodded in his direction, appreciating his confidence. "Man your ships and may the force be with you."

"All flight troopers, man your station," a voice sounded through the hanger later when Luke was getting ready to go into battle.

He found Han packing his ship, ignoring all the hustle and bustle of the rebellion.

"So that's it?" Luke asked. "You're taking your reward and just leaving?"

"That's right kid. I got some old debts to pay off with this reward and even if I didn't, you don't think I'm fool enough to stick around here, do you?" Han asked. "You should come with us. You're pretty good in a fight. I could use you."

"Come on," Luke said indignantly. "Take a look around. You know what we're up against. We could use a good pilot like you. You're just going to abandon us?"

Han nodded. Luke couldn't believe it. Sure Han hadn't asked to go to Yavin 4 and find the rebellion. He was just the pilot. It was another job for him. But Luke was sure he would maybe stick around, especially since he seemed to really like Leia, as much as he wouldn't admit it.

"What's the point of a reward if you aint around to use it kid? Besides, attacking a battle station ain't my idea of courage. It's more like suicide," Han added. "And as far as I recall, we've both done enough suicidal missions in one day to last us a lifetime."

Luke sighed. "Alright then. Take care of yourself Han. I guess that's what you're best at."

Luke started to walk off but then Han shouted, "Hey Luke! May the force be with you!"

Luke smiled and waved back as he started back to his ship. He blinked in surprise.

"Artoo? What are you doing?" he asked the droid that was attached to his ship.

"I thought you could use him more than I could," Anakin said coming up behind him.

"But he's your droid," Luke said.

"He wasn't mine. He was your father's droid Luke. I'm giving it to its rightful owner. That droid has been in your family since before you were born and it's staying there," Anakin said. "Besides. I'm the more experienced pilot. If worse comes to worse, Artoo will get you out of a lot of jams. He saved your father more than a few times."

"Really?" Luke asked and then blinked. "You're going out there too?"

Anakin feigned being dramatic. "Why of course? I wouldn't miss going on a suicidal flight mission for the world."

Luke grinned and then glanced over to where Han was starting the Falcon. Anakin noticed and muttered, "Good riddance," before he felt Luke's disappointment through the force.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh. It's Han. I really thought he'd change his mind," Luke replied.

Anakin laughed a little. "He's a pirate. All they care about it money and staying alive long enough to use it. They have no sense of selflessness. You're better off without him."

Luke shrugged. "I guess Alex," he said as someone grabbed him by the shoulders. Apparently they knew each other.

Anakin turned back to his ship and then stopped when he felt his wife's presence approaching him. She ran up to him and hugged him.

"Oh Ani," Padmé said holding him close. "This is the clone wars all over again."

"Yeah, except with even worse odds," Anakin replied.

Padmé smacked his arm as she pulled back. "Don't make me more scared than I already am. I'll have a panic attack."

Anakin smiled. "Don't worry Padmé. Don't I always come back just fine?"

Padmé sighed and glance over at Luke. "But this time it's different. It's not just you going to war. It's our son too."

Anakin sighed. "Don't worry. He'll be fine. I'll take care of him while we're out there. There's no need to worry. You stay with Leia. She'll probably be worried sick about Luke after only just finding him. I promise. We'll be back. I can feel it in the force," he said and kissed her before getting into his fighter.

Padmé looked up at the ominous battle station that was approaching the base. It would be in range soon. The rebellion would have to act quickly.

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Okay, so there's two more chapters after this one and the next one is the death star battle and a little confrontation between Pesinoe and Anakin. Hope you liked. I have to go before I burn my pizza. Review Please!


	10. Chapter 10

Okay, this is the Battle of Yavin people. Pesinoé and Anakin have a little confrontation here and Tarkin dies. I realize I might have taken him a little out of character but like I said, he and Pesinoé have an interesting history and one little meeting can change things, which it did. If I figure out what happened between them, I'll post it in a little mini side story. There are a lot of side stories in this universe in fact. Anyway, on with the chapter. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Read, enjoy, and review!

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Chapter Ten

Darth Pesinoé found herself relieved that Palpatine couldn't use force lightning through a hologram projector. He had not been pleased when he found out that the princess had escaped. He said she should have killed the princess when she had the chance.

Pesinoé knew he was right, but her thirst for revenge made her willing to take the risk. She thought back to the object of her disdain for the moment and relished in it. She had been looking for him for almost twenty years, he and his son, so she could kill them both. It had amazed her just how hard it was. It seemed like for someone she had known and spent most of her time with for the better part of three years would be easy for her to find.

It just went to show she hadn't known the man as well as she had thought. He had hidden things from her, and it further showed Pesinoé the magnitude of his betrayal. He was sure his wife had known all about his past. Hell, she had been part of most of it.

She looked out the viewport of the death star as they came upon Yavin 4. Pesinoé sensed that the rebels were in a fury trying to get ready to fight the battle station.

"Orbiting the planet at maximum velocity," the intercom said. "The moon with the rebel base will be in range in thirty minutes."Her L

"Ridiculous fools," Tarkin said from next to her as they watch the oncoming rebel ships. "No one can defeat the power of this space station."

"You better hope so Tarkin. It'll be one less thing for me to deal with. This may very well be a day well remembered. Not only will it be the day that ends the rebellion, but also the day that the jedi will be no more," Pesinoé replied softly a little distracted. She sensed Skywalker on the planet, but there was something else. She couldn't quite put her hands on it.

Pesinoé watched with limited interest as the ships came on to the battle station. She stood calmly while the officer scrambled to get to the weapon's control on the death star. The rebels wouldn't last long, or she had thought. The rebels were approaching in small one man fighters. They were little, but fast and the large weaponry of the Death star wouldn't cut it. It would be like swatting annoying flies all day long.

"Milady," one of her ladies said to her before one of the other crew members could report. "There are thirty rebel ships, but they're so small, their dodging all the lasers."

"I thought as much," Pesinoé said and looked at Tarkin. "You'll have to fight ship to ship. Send out your best pilots to handle the job."

Tarkin glared at her while the officer, who undoubtedly came to report the same thing, looked between them.

"You best learn your place Pesinoé. This ship is under my jurisdiction and I would appreciate it if you kept your suggestions to yourself," he snapped.

Pesinoé felt her patience with the man waning. Instead she smiled. "Now, now Tarkin. You don't want to cost the empire the battle because you find it beneath yourself to take orders from a woman."

"I've been taking orders from you since you stepped foot on the death stepped foot on the death star Pesinoé-."

"That's Lady Pesinoé," the sith lady snapped.

"And quite frankly I've grown tired of taking orders from a primitive life form, especial of the weaker sex," Tarkin snapped. "It'll be over my dead body that you get any say or jurisdiction in what happens about this battle or the running of this battle station, the one the emperor gave me jurisdiction of!"

Pesinoé's eyes turned sith yellow. Not only was the empire male dominated, it was human dominated. She was the reason most other humanoid alien forms weren't persecuted like the governors wanted. She didn't understand it. Humans didn't own the galaxy. If anything, they were the primitive species. Humans just happened to be highly calculating, power hungry and manipulative, not to mention intelligent, not to say she had anything against them at all. But she hated when prejudiced bigots like Tarkin used her alien heritage as a way to belittle her and make them feel better about their own insecurities.

She started to try to kill him right then and there, but then Tarkin said, "I don't think so Pesinoé. I bet the Emperor wasn't too happy about you letting the princess escape when you could have killed her before, was he? All because you wanted a little slave of your own like you are to the Emperor…"

Pesinoé glared. "You bugged the cell," she stated calmly.

"Putting so much faith in you so called force powers. Apparently, it wasn't strong enough to find the rebel base. That's the power of mankind and weaponry. And it's much stronger than any witchcraft you can do," Tarkin shot.

Pesinoé walked away from him. "Tarkin, be very glad the Emperor doesn't want me to kill you. Otherwise, you'd be a dead man right now… if I can call you a man. I'd have more respect for you if you said that to my face without the Emperor's protection of you. Sniveling coward," she said.

"As you know Pesinoé, I've always done that. Remember?"

Pesinoé started to reply, but thought better of it. What Tarkin said was true. He had just never been that bold before. She started into the hallway when something rocked the station.

Alarms went off, and she went back to the viewport.

"What's going on?" Pesinoé asked Tarkin and the officer that still stood there spoke.

"Our shield's just been breached by the rebel fighters," he said.

"What in force's name did they hit?" Pesinoé asked as a warning suddenly went through the force. Something wasn't right.

"Tell all officers to continue manning their post," Tarkin said and headed down the hall.

Pesinoé felt the warning in the force again. It was then she realized that the only possible threat to the battle station was a Skywalker. But there wasn't just one. There were two. Pesinoé cursed. It was his son and the boy had probably inherited his father's piloting skills. The last thing the battle station needed was one Skywalker attacking it, let alone two.

"The death star shield doesn't protect against those things?" Pesinoé asked following the man.

"A one man fighter is hardly a threat Pesinoé," Tarkin said, but Pesinoé could feel he was nervous through the force.

"The death star has a weakness doesn't it?"

"A miniscule fault in the design. Hardly any need for worry," he said.

"Then why are you?" Pesinoé shot and then noticed they were in the hanger. "What are you doing?"

"Is my ship ready?" Tarkin asked one of the crewmen.

"Your ship?" Pesinoé asked scowling, and then her scowl twisted into a smile. "Don't tell me big bad Tarkin is scared the rebels might actually blow this thing to bits."

"Your little attempt at seduction won't work on me Pesinoé. Besides, I'm just being cautious. Better safe than sorry," he said.

"Better safe than sorry?" she asked in a low tone. "How would that make the empire look in the eyes of the galaxy if you just take off at the threat of a possible defeat? It looks better when you go down in defeat than to flee in fear."

"No one cares what their image is when their dead Pesinoé," Tarkin said. "Besides, I'm not going anywhere. I'm just going to be a safe distance from the death star while I continue to oversee the battle."

The sith lady sighed. "Well if you're going to abandon ship at least tell me you have an evacuation plan for the rest of the people on this station."

"A necessary sacrifice," Tarkin said starting to turn from her.

"A necessary sacrifice!" she bellowed. "So you're really just going to high tail it out of here and leave all these people to die while you live?"

"You're hardly a saint Pesinoé," Tarkin shot.

"You're right. That's why I'm a sith. However, I'm no coward. Sure, the emperor sanctioned the building of this station, but there's not a soul on board who doesn't know this force damned monstrosity is your little pet project. At least have the guts to go down with the ship, especially if everyone else is," Pesinoé said raising her voice.

Tarkin glared at her. "Prepare for takeoff," he told one of his crewmen.

Pesinoé's temper boiled over. She had had enough of Tarkin. The emperor's orders be damned. She'd take her punishment like a man, more of a man than Tarkin was anyway. The pleasure she'd get out of killing Tarkin would be well worth the punishment she knew she'd get later.

"Don't walk away from me," she said slowly and deliberately. As if suddenly unable to control his own action, Tarkin turned around and walked right up to her.

She lightly traced the scar on his face from where Princess Leia had scratched him, and suddenly they opened back up.

"You," she said coming dangerously close to him, "are incredibly lucky I don't have the time to make your death a desirably entertaining event. I would make you suddenly lust after me so much it would make you go insane and you'd hate yourself for it, just because you hate me for being a woman in command anyway."

She pulled back and began to trace her finger over his chest.

"But alas, I don't have the time, so this will have to do," she and settled her hand over Tarkin's chest.

Tarkin let out a gasp and fell to the ground while Pesinoé crushed his bloody heart in the palm of her hands. She dropped it on the man and turned to her ladies who were standing behind her, seemingly unfazed by the gory display.

"Prepare your ships and ready yourselves for battle," she said.

They bowed and went off to obey her. As a high ranking officer went by, the same one that was reporting to Tarkin earlier, she said, "I'm now in jurisdiction of this station. Get the crews to their fighters."

"With all due respect milady, the emperor gave Governor Tarkin jurisdiction of this station, and I recall that he gave strict orders not to follow your order unless it was over his dead body," he said.

"I like you. You're unafraid to disobey an instruction from a superior officer when it contradicts with an earlier instruction," Pesinoé declared and the officer beamed. Then she added, "But as you can see, it's been arranged."

Pesinoé gestured to Tarkin's body with her bloody hand casually. She walked away to get to her fighter leaving a stunned officer in her wake. It appeared she would have to give the order to the crews herself.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Anakin felt Pesinoé's presence in the battle before long before he saw her fighter. He spoke into his com to the rest of the ships.

"Be careful," He said. "Darth Pesinoé is leading those imperial fighters."

"Darth Pesinoé," Biggs said in surprise.

"Yes. Watch her ship. She's nothing to be played with. She fought in the clone wars alongside her old master and he was a great pilot. I'm positive she picked up a few things from him," Anakin said without a doubt in his mind. He knew Pesinoé had learned something about piloting from him.

He heard a series of curses from the various pilots as he saw three rebel fighters go down into the trench and skim the surface to get close enough to fire at the reactor.

"I don't think so," Pesinoé muttered following them.

"Oh no!" Luke said as he saw the fighter. "Alex, look!"

Anakin looked into the trench where he saw Pesinoé tailing the three pilots that were down in the trench. She was flanked by two other imperial pilots. On closer inspection, Anakin saw they weren't just any imperial pilots. They were her ladies in waiting.

"Watch out," Anakin said to the squadron leaders. "Darth Pesinoé's got her ladies flying in the air with her.

"They can pilot too!" Luke asked overhearing.

Anakin was a little surprised himself. Pesinoé had trained her ladies well.

"Got ya'," Pesinoé muttered as she shot one of the rebel fighters down and then another after that.

The last fighter managed to shoot a torpedo towards its target and Pesinoé laughed. His aim was off and therefore it only hit the surface.

"And good-bye rebel," she said firing at it. It exploded on impact.

Luke looked down and then said, "Wedge, Biggs, we're going in full throttle!"

"Luke," Biggs said to him. "At that speed will you be able to pull up?"

"It'll be just like beggar's canyon," Luke assured.

"We'll stay far back enough to cover you," Biggs said.

Anakin was too busy trying to fight imperial ties to notice what Luke was doing. He was using all kinds of crazy maneuvers to avoid them and their well aimed fires. They had already taken out two more rebel fighters. It was then the force screamed a warning at him and he looked down into the trench in time to see a ship pulling out the trench and another exploding.

He realized that the fighter racing ahead belonged to Luke and Darth Pesinoé and her ladies were racing behind him. Anakin cursed. He might not get there in time… He racked his brain for a way to contact his son besides the headset. Apparently Luke was too nervous to hear him.

"Luke," he muttered and then the force suggested something to him, something he had never thought about until now. He had never had the opportunity to do so. Anakin searched the force for the connection he knew was there. It was weak, undeveloped from not ever being used, but it was stable enough for what he needed.

_Luke, _Anakin projected his thoughts. _Let go of everything. Use the force_

_What?_ Anakin heard Luke project back unknowingly. _Ben? Alex?_

Anakin blinked and then smiled when he felt the familiar presence of his old master. Of course Obi-Wan was trying to help Luke…

_Trust us Luke,_ Anakin said.

Pesinoé felt something in the force and concentrated on the pilot more. The force was strong with this one. His presence was familiar… So this was Skywalker's son. She growled and went faster, even more determined to kill the pilot now.

A laser hit the back of Artoo, and it died out. Anakin cursed as he sped up to get to Pesinoé and her ladies. Someone else got there first though.

"What?" he said as one of the ships flanking Pesinoé was destroyed.

Pesinoé herself was distracted by this. No one had ever taken out one of her ladies. She had the same nine ladies for the last fifteen years now, since all of them were maybe ten. Not that she was at all attached to any of them… Maybe she had a soft spot for the two togruta, but only because they were from her people.

"Who did that?" she asked and saw a rebel fighter speeding towards them, but it wasn't in range to have hit her wingman.

Anakin saw the Millennium Falcon flying towards the trench and admitted he was a little surprised. He hadn't expected the pirate to come back. Maybe Han wasn't as bad and selfish as he originally thought. That still didn't mean he liked the man though. Han liked his daughter after all.

"Yahoo!" Han said over the frequency.

"Han!" Luke said.

"We've got you covered Luke," Anakin said. "Take that thing out."

Han sped for a collision course with the ties. When Anakin saw Pesinoé suddenly lift up from the trench in anticipation of it, he sped right into her and damaged one of her wings without taking much damage himself.

Anakin and Pesinoé would never know how it happened-perhaps it was the will of the force- but somehow the radio frequency changed.

"Force damn it!" Anakin heard Pesinoé say.

Anakin scowled as he glared at her fighter when it turned to face his. He could almost see her glaring through her viewport, like their eyes were meeting even from the distance.

"Pesinoé," Anakin said. "It's _great_ to see you again. Been a long time."

"Skywalker," Pesinoé growled. "I can't say the feeling's mutual. I see your son is alive and well. Be thankful for that other ship. He would have been dead had it not distracted me."

"No you should be thankful. I doubt I would have been very forgiving of you if you had hurt my son."

Pesinoé began to fire her lasers at him. Anakin swirled out the way and fired on her.

Leia, who was on Yavin watching the battle saw this and tried to contact her caretaker's husband.

"Alex!" she shouted. "What are you doing?"

Dodonna turned to her and said, "It looks like he and that imperial tie are fighting each other…"

"I can't get him. He must have turned to another frequency!" Leia said as she turned to where the two ship shot past each other in effort to do damage to their opponent's ship.

Padmé, who too was looking on with confusion, then gasped.

"That's Pesinoé's fighter!" she said as it clicked why her husband had gone away from the main battle to fight one fighter.

"Her ship is damaged," Leia noted. "It's probably her sheer will keeping that thing going. But why would Alex go to fight her when there's a bigger battle."

Padmé sighed. "The two of them have a little score to settle with each other."

"While trying to destroy the death star is hardly the time for one of our best pilots and our only jedi to be settling a personal score," Mothma replied.

"Believe me Mon," Padmé replied. "This goes beyond personal. Way beyond it."

Back outside Pesinoé huffed as Anakin dodged her laser again.

"It's apparent we're getting nowhere fighting like this. Why don't we take this down to the surface and get out this pent up aggression there?" Pesinoé asked suggestively.

"Not in this lifetime Pesinoé," Anakin growled.

"Scared I might beat you this time Skywalker?"

Anakin rolled his eyes. "You know exactly what I was talking about," he said referring to the subtle force seduction that was behind her words.

"Can't blame a sith lady for trying," she muttered as she attempted to blow his fighter to bits again.

Back in the trench Han said, "You're all clear kid. Now let's blow this thing and go home!"

Luke nodded and concentrated on what Alex and Ben had told him.

"Let go," he muttered. "Trust in the force."

He fired his torpedo and it went through the port. Luke anxiously pulled out the trench waiting to see what happened. He didn't know why though. He somehow knew the torpedo had made its mark.

Anakin felt the force warning just after Pesinoé managed to clip one of his wings. He looked down to see tiny explosions.

"We'll meet again Skywalker," Pesinoé said probably feeling the same thing she did as she sped off flanked by seven imperial ties, the seven ladies she had left.

Anakin sped behind the other rebel fighters and switched the frequency.

"Luke," he said. "Did you hit it?"

"Yeah. I got it," Luke said just as the death star exploded in a brilliant display of light.

"That shot was one in a million kid!" Han exclaimed over the com and Anakin couldn't help but agree with the man.

_Remember,_ Anakin overheard Obi-Wan telling Luke. _The force will always be with you._

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Whew! I really had to figure out how to incorporate Anakin into the battle without having him take the spotlight from Luke. Even though this is AU, I wanted some things to be true to cannon and the one thing I really wanted was for Luke to destroy the death star. It was almost like a coming of age thing for him you know? And I've read stories where Anakin was there and kind of took over and overshadowed, but I figured Anakin has had his days of glory and still does, but it was time for Luke to make his own way so he didn't end up shadowed by his father. Anywho, I'll be really nice and put the last chapter up tomorrow if I get the inspiration to do so… Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	11. Chapter 11

Wow! It's the last chapter of this story. The end gives away what the next one will be about. I thought it would be an interesting turn. The next one will be up in about a month… Well, when I get out of school. I've been spending so much time on this I've been neglecting my school work but that's okay. I can pass in school without trying, but at least I finished my research essay so I'm good although lord knows I should have studied more for my Spanish. This chapter just kind of wraps things up a bit, and leads us into the next story. Read, Enjoy, and Review.

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Chapter Eleven

When they got back to Yavin and Luke was out of his cockpit. His sister practically tackled him when she hugged him.

"Leia!" he said laughing and them they began to jump and spin around. Being with his sister made him feel complete, more whole than he had been on Tatooine by himself. Acting like siblings just came to them naturally.

"Luke," Han said and Luke hugged him. They both patted each other on the back.

"I knew you wouldn't leave," Luke said grinning at him. "I knew it."

"Well," Han said shrugged. "I wasn't going to let you take all the credit and get all the reward."

"So maybe there is more to you than money Solo."

The three friends turned around to see Alex standing behind them smiling. He turned to Luke.

"Good work son," he said putting his hand on his shoulder. "Your father is watching you somewhere very proudly. I know it."

He looked at Leia and added, "And you too. He always wanted a little girl."

Leia beamed as Alex began to walk away.

"Hey!" Han shouted. "What about me? I came back didn't I?"

Alex turned around and glared at Han. "I'm sure wherever Anakin Skywalker is, he's frowning very disapprovingly down at you, despite the fact that you just might be more than a pirate at heart."

Alex turned to go to his wife and Han shook his head.

"I just don't get it. What have I ever done to him?"

Luke and Leia shrugged. Alex was a bit of a mystery to all of them. He wasn't quite what he appeared, him nor his wife. Luke just couldn't shake the feeling there was more to both of them, like they were hiding something.

Luke looked back at his fighter where maintenance crew was lifting a fried Artoo out.

"Oh no," he whined. "Don't tell me-."

"Oh my!" Threepio exclaimed. "Artoo. Can you hear me? Say something!"

"Can you fix him?" Leia asked the mechanic.

He nodded. "We'll get to work right away."

"You must repair him! Sir, if any of my circuits or gears will help, I'll be happy to donate them," Threepio said following the mechanic.

"Thank goodness," Luke said in relief. "It wouldn't do good for me to be the one that kills an Artoo droid that been in our family for decades."

Leia nodded and put her arms around Han and Luke's shoulders. Then they put their arm around her.

"I'm starving," Luke said suddenly.

"I feel ya," Han said.

"Is that all men think about?" Leia asked rolling her eyes as they began to walk towards the cafeteria.

"Hey, you look like you could use a good mean yourself princess. I'm positive the death star doesn't serve gourmet cuisine to prisoners," Han shot.

From afar, Anakin and Padmé smiled at them.

"Looks like they'll be good friends now. Perfect," Anakin commented. "Trouble magnets, all three of them. This base will never be the same again."

"I wonder though," Padmé began.

"What?" Anakin asked.

"I just wonder if that's how Obi-Wan, you, and I would have been under less stressful and dire circumstances," Padmé suggested.

Anakin snorted. "As if rebelling against the empire and fighting the death star aren't stressful and dire."

"Not like that," Padmé said glaring at him. "I mean without all the restrictions of the jedi code and corrupt politics."

Anakin looked at them. There was Luke, the calm and somewhat reasonable one (or a least a little more reasonable than the other two. He'd never be anywhere near as reasonable as Obi-Wan. Luke had too much of Anakin and Padmé in him for that), then Leia, the politician you didn't want to cross, and Han the once who acted before thinking (But Anakin usually had the skill to do that. Han just acted with nothing to back him).

"I see your point," Anakin admitted. "That might have been us in a different lifetime."

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It was only after the initial relief that the whole base had that the death star was destroyed and the planet they were on wouldn't be blown to bits that Luke realized exactly what blowing up the death star meant. He was now the hero of the rebellion. It amazed him. In only a few days he had gone from farm boy to hero. It had really been that quick. It wasn't like he had been part of the rebellion before and was already a respected comrade. He had just happened to come upon some droids and the next thing he knew, he was a hero. He would now be legend in the rebellion and the empire for years to come.

He sighed as he turned in his bed again. The rebel leaders were having a ceremony to reward him and Han tomorrow. Alex might have gotten a commemoration if it weren't for the fact that he went and had his own side battle with Darth Pesinoé when she was already down for the count since her wing was done. Dodonna had given him a stern talking to for that, and for switching com frequency (Alex insisted that wasn't his fault. He was willing to take responsibility for the things he had done, but he had _not_ changed the com frequency.)

Alex hadn't cared though. He didn't need a medal for reward. The rebellion was safe and that was reward enough.

Luke didn't see the point of the ceremony himself. Sure he was a hero to the rebellion but there were millions of people in the galaxy who hated him and not because they were loyal to the empire. How many men had died on that station? How many people had now lost a brother, a son, a husband, who were just trying to make a living for themselves and their families? It made him sick to think about.

A knock on his door caught his attention. Who would be coming for him this late?

"Luke," Leia's soft voice came through the door. "Are you awake? Are you alright?"

Luke went and opened the door to let her in. He smiled at her and sat on the bed. Leia didn't turn on the light, even though it was dark. She just sat next to him and put her chin in her hands with her elbows resting on her thighs. She looked at him.

"Are you alright?" she asked again.

"I'm fine Leia," he said.

"Then why are you still awake? I know you're practically exhausted after everything that's happened," she said.

"It's nothing," he lied. "I'm just thinking. What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Why are you awake?"

Leia smiled, and Luke felt her amusement through their bond.

"I can place the blame for that on you," she said honestly.

Luke frowned as looked at her, temporarily forgetting his troubles.

"Me? I didn't keep you awake. You were in your room."

"I could feel that you were disturbed by something and because you were bothered, I was bothered," she explained.

"Sorry," Luke said softly. "I keep forgetting you can feel things through our bond. Maybe we can learn to control it better so we don't mirror each other's moods and feelings so much."

"Maybe," Leia replied and then grabbed her brother's hand. "What's wrong?"

Luke sighed. He should have known she'd ask.

"I don't know to be honest. This is all just a lot to take in. I've gone from farm boy to war hero in a matter of days," he said.

Leia tilted her head to get a view of his face and then shook her head.

"That's not it. There's something else. I can feel it," she muttered

Luke crossed his arms. "I was just thinking about how I destroyed the death star. I mean, it's great it's gone and it can no longer threaten anyone, but it just bothered me the lives that are now on my hands from blowing that thing up you know?" he asked.

Leia blinked. "What are you saying?"

Luke turned to her as he tried to find a way to say it. "I mean, there were more than just officers working on behalf of the empire on that thing. There were men and woman with simple jobs like cooking, cleaning, taking out trash, stuff like that. Were all their lives necessary sacrifices for the good of the entire galaxy? I mean they were working in the Empire, yes. But their biggest crime was trying to make a way for their families. They meant no harm. They didn't have any part in what that thing could do," he said.

Leia nodded, getting the point. She could feel Luke's disturbance about this. She hadn't really thought about it until he said it.

"I don't really know," Leia said honestly. "They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time I guess… I hope that didn't sound harsh but that's the only way I could see it. Maybe…"

Luke looked at his sister. She obviously had something else to say.

"What?" he asked.

"I don't know much about the force, but I know everything happens for a reason, and that when things happen, they only happen because the force wills it to be. If you weren't meant to destroy that station Luke, I don't think it would have happened. There are risks and sacrifices that come with everything, even lives. Who knows? We may be sacrificing ourselves one day. Everything has a price to pay. You can't blame yourself Luke, especially when in destroying thousands of people's live you saved billions and trillions more. We can only hope that we're forgiven and move on," Leia said reaching over and wrapping her arms around him.

Luke understood what she meant. Everything came with a price, especially war. There were always casualties on both side, always someone who lost a family member or even their entire families. It was something that couldn't be avoided.

"Force Leia," he said. "I'm about to have a breakdown over one battle. What will it be like for the rest of this war? This certainly won't be the last time I have to take innocent lives in the name of the greater good of the galaxy."

"I'll be here for you Luke," replied Leia softly. "And somewhere out there our parents are watching down on us, here for both of us."

Something then came to Luke's mind that helped ease his feelings on the matter.

"I wonder how our parents did it Leia?" Luke asked and before she could answer he went on. "They were secretly married. Our mother was probably alone most of her pregnancy ("She was a senator too," Leia added), while our dad was fighting in the biggest war, a civil war, the galaxy had seen in hundreds of years. They both made lots of sacrifices and I'm sure they had to take lives."

Leia shrugged. "I can't imagine. Must have been hard on them. I guess their only consolation was that they were trying to make the galaxy a safer place for billions of people… and us," she added thoughtfully. "But if they could do it, so can we. Their deaths won't be in vain."

Luke nodded. "You're right. We'll fight for this in their name. We'll restore peace and freedom to the galaxy."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So his son and his daughter are with him," Sidous said to Pesinoé

Pesinoé frowned. "I believe that's what I said," she snapped not in any mood to deal with her master's calculative and manipulative game. She was already in a sour mood. She had lost two of her ladies, the death star was gone, and she had to take responsibility for the most humiliating defeat in the history of the empire because she had killed Tarkin. To say the least, she had a bad day indeed.

Sidious glared at her. This was the price he paid for having a female apprentice. She was far too outspoken, especially when she knew there wasn't a thing he could do about it from a hologram.

"I will deal with your insolence at a later time," he said deliberately.

Pesinoé didn't reply. It wasn't the first time she had been in trouble with the emperor and it wouldn't be the last. He'd never punish her too badly. She was his right hand man and the most competent help he had in the empire. She looked at her prosthetic crystal studded arm. It seemed like she would have to get it fixed again when she did go see the emperor. He always managed to short circuit it when he punished her.

"They were a threat before, but now that they're together, they're even more of a threat now," Palpatine said tapping his fingers.

"I will dispose of them quickly," she said starting to turn away without him formally dismissing her.

"Wait," he said to her.

Pesinoé turned back around on her heal as she regarded her master. Something told her she wouldn't like this.

Sidious pondered the Skywalkers. Three of them… The possibilities were endless. They were the most powerful force beings in the galaxy no doubt. Once the Skywalker twins learned to use the force, all three of them together would be an unstoppable force to be reckoned with and therefore be the downfall of the empire.

Sidious knew of course that Anakin Skywalker couldn't be turned and if he did he would never reach his full potential because of his attachment to that woman. But his twins, particularly his son, would make a powerful ally. Skywalker's son would be easy prey with the potential of his father, except without a woman holding him down, keeping him grounded. Yes… If his father would not turn then the son would and perhaps he'd be even more loyal and much less insolent and demanding to him than his current apprentice. No doubt she would want two more women to train in replacement of the ladies she had lost.

"Master," Pesinoé said cutting off his thoughts.

"You will kill Anakin Skywalker and his daughter, but you will bring the son to me," he said.

Pesinoé hid her surprise. "Why?"

"Skywalker's son will make a powerful ally. You will bring him to me and I will turn him."

"As a hand perhaps?" Pesinoé asked carefully. She didn't like where this was going.

"Do you trust in my judgment Pesinoé?" Sidious asked.

Pesinoé nodded slowly. "Of course Master."

"Then do it," he said and ended the transmission.

Pesinoé stalked out the room in an even worse mood than before. She went in her room to meditate. Sure she had told her master she trusted him, but treachery and betrayal was the way of the sith. Naturally, there was a lot of doubt.

She needed to know what her master had planned. From the sound of it, he was seeking to replace her. Pesinoé couldn't say she was surprised. Her master had probably been through more apprentices than any sith master ever had been. Unfortunately for him, she was much smarter than his former apprentices, and she didn't plan on making his list of ex-apprentices ever.

It was time for her to become the master. It was time for her to take her place on top, as empress of the galaxy. She would be Sidious' last apprentice.

As she meditated on this seeking confirmation of what Sidious planned to do, she felt a nudge in the force.

Odd, she thought getting deeper into her meditation to find out what it was. When she final found what is was, it shocked her. It was a fragile and undeveloped bond to someone. She tapped into it and then pulled back. The connection had been brief but it was enough to startle her out her meditative trance.

"What?" she said in disbelief. "It isn't possible. The force wouldn't mock me like that."

But the more she thought about it, the more she could believe it. It made a little sense in an ironic haunting kind of way. She tapped back into the force and found the bond again.

"Could it be…?" she muttered and projected one word to through the bond. That was all the bond could handle anyway.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Skywalker!_

Leia shot up out of bed. The feeling of something invading her mind had jolted her to awareness. But just as sudden as quick as the feeling came, it went away. She looked around the room a little spooked.

Next to her Luke woke up. She had stayed with him thinking perhaps her presence would settle him, and they both could get some sleep. Now it appeared she was the culprit this time.

"Leia," he said. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost or something."

'It was close,' Leia thought but pushed it out her mind.

"Nothing. Just a cramp. I'm fine," she said grateful she hadn't gone back to her room. Without Luke's comforting presence she probably would have awaken the entire base with the scream that had earlier died in her throat when she remembered Luke was there.

"You sure?" he asked dozing off again.

Leia nodded and lay back down. It was probably nothing to be worried about, probably just her mind playing tricks on her.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Well, this is to be continued of course. How'd you like the ending? I thought it would be an interesting twist. Here's your sneak peak of… well, it's the sneak peak. I haven't figured out a title yet. I'll post it in my profile when I do.

_"You got your clearance to leave," Leia reminded._

_"We'll all leave as soon as you're on your ship dear," Padmé said firmly. There was no way she was leaving the base before her child did._

_"They're right your highness," Threepio said. "You must take the last transport. It's our only hope."_

_Leia began to protest and Anakin was ready to fight her when the entire base shook. Leia paled. Anakin looked at her. Apparently, she had felt the same thing he had._

_"It's the bad woman," Leia muttered as she turned white and began to tremble._

_"Leia," Anakin said and rushed to steady her. Padmé made a face that told him he had seen her look this way before, but it had apparently been a while._

_"Imperial troops have entered the base!" was said over the loud speaker._

_"Come on," Han said grabbing Leia's arm. "We've got to go."_

_Anakin started to help guide Leia out when Padmé went over to the control board._

_"Take Leia," he said to Han and went to grab Padmé._

_"Give the evacuation code signal and get to your transports!" she said to the remaining controllers._

_"Come on!" Anakin said pulling Padmé away. "Leia's already gone with Han and Threepio."_

_Padmé nodded. and they followed the same way Han had taken Leia seconds earlier. It didn't take long to catch up with them seeing as Leia was barely walking and a cave in was blocking the way. Han was putting away his com and turning around._

_"Where are we going?" Padmé asked._

_"The Falcon!" Han said._

_"Wait!" Leia said getting hold of herself. "Where's Luke?"_

_Anakin searched the force and was relieved to feel Luke. "He's fine. He'll get away. Don't worry about him. We have to get out of here. I sense something ominous. It's not exactly clear but it's got something to do with-."_

_Anakin stopped as he crashed into Padme who had crashed in Han and Threepio._

_"Why did you stop?" Anakin asked as Han pointed to Leia who had stopped frozen in fear as Han tried to get her to keep going. But the girl was refusing to walk by the intersecting tunnel._

_"Leia," Padmé said urgently trying to snap the girl out her trance. She had seen this before. "What is it?"_

_"The bad woman," Anakin said gravely, and Padmé gasped._

_"She's been having those nightmares again?" Padmé asked recognizing Leia's behavior. "She's here."_

_Anakin nodded. "It's-."_

_"Well it looks like this is going to be much easier than I thought," a voice drawled. "Long time, no see master." The voice said mockingly._

I hope you liked it. It still has a few nicks in it. I know this much though, it's going to be longer that this one. I'm looking at about fourteen chapters, maybe fifteen. I'll see. Hope you enjoyed. Review please!_  
_


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